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- Erigeron philadelphicus
Erigeron philadelphicus — Philadelphia fleabane
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Facts
Phildelphia fleabane is native to North America and introduced in Europe and Asia. There are two varieties in New England. One (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus) is a common and widespread plant of open, frequently human-disturbed sites, and the other (E. philadelphicus var. provancheri) is a very rare endemic of high-pH river shore ledges, restricted to Vermont, New York, Quebec and Ontario.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, 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
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- 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
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- 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
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 15–150 mm
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- 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 on their outer surfaces, with hairs having glands (a swelling at the tip of the hair)
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
-
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk width
- 6–15 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 profile
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- 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
- the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
- there are two lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
- more than 50
- Ray length
- 5–10 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
- Width of flower head base
- 6–15 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 0.6–1.1 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
- the pappus hairs are slender
- Seed hairs uniform
- all the pappus hairs are approximately the same length
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
- 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
-
Glands or sap
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have no glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
-
- the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- the plant is biennial, it appears as either first year (non-reproductive) plants or second year plants with flowers or fruit
- 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)
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- 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 bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade length
- 15–150 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- 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 width
- 10–40 mm
- Leaf disposition
-
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
- 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 stalk length
- 0 mm
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
-
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
- ridges or ledges
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of an odor
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem internode hair direction
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
- Stem internode hair type
-
- at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- 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
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
var. philadelphicus
- Massachusetts
- widespread (S-rank: S5)
var. provancheri
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1)
Subspecies and varieties
Erigeron philadelphicus L. var. philadelphicus is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT, from open, frequently human-disturbed habitats.E. philadelphicus var. provancheri (Victorin & Rouss.) Boivin is known from VT, on high-pH river shore ledges, and is of conservation concern.
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
5. Erigeron philadelphicus L. NC
Philadelphia fleabane. 5a. Erigeron philadelphicus L. var. glaber Henry; E. philadelphicus L. var. scaturicola (Fern.) Fern.; E. purpureus Ait.; 5b. E. philadelphicus L. ssp. provancheri (Victorin & Rouss.) J.K. Morton; E. provancheri Victorin & Rouss. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Fields, roadsides, lawns, clearings; also basic, river shore ledges.
1a. Reproductive stems 20–70 cm tall; basal leaves usually withering prior to anthesis; stems, leaf blades, and involucral bracts usually pubescent; ray flowers pink or white tinged with pink; capitula 18–25 mm wide … 5a. E. philadelphicus var. philadelphicus
1b. Reproductive stems 4–18 (–30) cm tall; basal leaves persisting through flowering; stems, leaf blades, and involucral bracts glabrous or sparsely pubescent; ray flowers white to pale pink; capitula 10–15 mm wide … 5b. E. philadelphicus var. provancheri (Victorin & Rouss.) Boivin
Variety philadelphicus is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. It occurs in open, frequently human-disturbed, habitats. Variety provancheri is known from VT. It occurs on high-pH, river shore ledges and is of conservation concern.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Erigeron pulchellus:
- flowering plants with mostly 1-4 flower heads, each flower head with 50-100 ray flowers with a ray 0.8-1.7 mm wide (vs. E. philadelphicus, flowering plants with mostly 3-30 flower heads, each flower head with 150-400 ray flowers with a ray up to 0.5 mm wide).
Synonyms
- Erigeron philadelphicus var. glaber Henry
- Erigeron philadelphicus var. scaturicola (Fern.) Fern.
- Erigeron purpureus Ait.