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- Erigeron hyssopifolius
Erigeron hyssopifolius — hyssop-leaved fleabane
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Facts
Hyssop-leaved fleabane is a small native perennial of cliffs, ledges and river gravel in areas of high-pH bedrock. It has a northerly distribution, being found mostly in Canada, but dipping into Maine and Vermont. It often grows in rock crevices and in areas of heavy ice scouring.
Habitat
Cliffs, balds, or ledges, ridges or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- Vermont
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Tuft or plume on fruit
-
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 10–30 mm
-
Flowers
- Bract cycle number
-
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are elliptic (widest near the middle and tapered towards the base and tip)
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract texture
- the bracts have a similar texture to a leaf
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Disk width
- 3–20 mm
- Flower head number
-
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
-
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is conical across the top
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- Flower head shape
-
- the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
- the flower head is shaped like a cone with the point up
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 4–6 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
-
- NA
- the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 30–150
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary profile
-
- in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- in profile, the ovary is roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle
- Peduncle hair type
- the hairs on the peduncles are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
- Peduncle length
- 12–150 mm
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 16-25
- 26-50
- Ray length
- 4–10 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is a cycle of much smaller bracts outside the cycle of larger and longer bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Width of flower head base
- 6–12 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1.3–1.6 mm
- Seed hairs uniform
- there are two distinct lengths of pappus hairs
- Seed tuft type
-
- NA
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
-
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
-
Glands or sap
- Ovary glands
- there are no visible glands on the ovary
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has a caudex (the root mass is firm and hardened at the top)
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 10–30 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 1–5 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf tufts in axils
- there are clusters of smaller leaves growing out of axils
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
- ridges or ledges
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem internode hair direction
-
- the hairs are pressed flat against the plant, pointing either towards the plant's tip or towards it's base
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
- Stem internode hair type
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Stem internode hairs
-
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem wings
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- rare (S-rank: S2), special concern (code: SC)
- Vermont
- rare (S-rank: S2)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
4. Erigeron hyssopifolius Michx. N
hyssop-leaved fleabane. ME, VT; also reported from NH by Cronquist(1947), but specimens are unknown. Cliffs, gorges, and river shore ledges in regions of high-pH bedrock.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Ionactis linariifolia:
- leaf blades coriaceous, stiff, involucres 6-9 mm long, the involucral bracts with prominent, indurate keels, and body of cypsela mostly 3.5-4 mm long (vs. E. hyssopifolius, with leaf blades herbaceous, soft, involucres 4-6 mm tall, the involucral bracts with poorly developed keels, and body of cypsela 1.3-1.6 mm long).