Erigeron grandiflorus, June 27, 2023
Common & scientific name
Rocky Mountain alpine fleabane, Erigeron grandiflorus
Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae
Location
Above Linkins Lake, 12,300’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This large-headed but small-statured daisy is found throughout our subalpine and alpine meadows. Its ray florets (the parts that look like petals) can number over 100. Its phyllaries (the small leaf-like parts enfolding its ray flowers) are covered in shaggy white and/or purple hairs. It can be distinguished from Erigeron simplex by its vastly hairier leaves, stem, and phyllaries, and I think its always deep-purple ray flowers. Some botanists lump the two, others don’t. I feel they are readily distinguishable, with E. simplex being much more common in our area.