Erigeron blochmaniae

Perennials, 4-8 cm, taprooted, caudices woody, branches ascending, sometimes rhizomelike. Stems ascending-erect, densely and closely puberulous to villosulous (hairs stiffly crisped, minute), eglandular. Leaves cauline; blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 15-30 × 1-3 mm, usually even-sized, margins entire, densely and closely puberulous to villosulous, eglandular. Heads 1 or 2-5 in loosely corymbiform arrays. Involucres 4.5-6 × 9-14 mm. Phyllaries in 3-5 series (with broad, orange middle area and thick, white margins), densely canescent-hirsutulous (hairs crinkly), densely minutely glandular. Ray florets 45-72; corollas white to bluish, ca. 8-11 mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing. Disc corollas 4.6-5 mm (throats slightly indurate, not inflated). Cypselae 2.2-2.8 mm, 2-nerved, faces glabrous; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 21-36 bristles. 2n = 18.

Flowering Jul-Oct. Sand dunes and hills; of conservation concern; 0-50 m; Calif.

Erigeron blochmaniae is recognized by its puberulous stems, relatively large heads, distinctive phyllaries, and glabrous cypselae.