ERIGERON CANADENSIS

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Names:- Canadian fleabane

Synonyms:- For a full list of Homotypic synonyms click here

Meaning:- Erigeron (Gr) Early-old-man. A name used by the Greek philosopher

Theophrastus for early flowering fleabanes.

Canadensis (L) From Canada, Canadian.

General description:- Annual

Stem:-

1) Erect, usually 60-100 cm tall, sparsely pubescent; sparingly branched above.

Leaves:-

1) Numerous, narrow.

2) Lower up to 10 x 1 cm, oblanceolate, petiolate often deciduous.

3) Others linear, at least the upper sessile.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula less than 1 cm wide, generally numerous, in a long, paniculate

inflorescence ± cylindrical, with a single axis.

2) Involucre 3-4 mm, yellowish-green, subglabrous.

3) Female florets usually 25-45.

4) Ligules 0·5-1 mm, equalling or slightly exceeding the style and pappus.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes oblong-elliptical, compressed, 1-1.5 mm.

2) Papus of whitish hairs.

Key features:

1) Female florets usually 25-45, the ligule 0·7-1.5 mm. exceeding the involucre.

2) Involucre glabrous or nearly so.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Damp coastal habitats, roadsides, ruderal areas in towns and villages,

field margins. 0-600(-1000) m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece, but less common in the south. Native of North

America, introduced almost worldwide. Appears to be fairly rare across Crete, but

perhaps just under recorded.

Flowering time:- June-Oct.

Photos by:- Kind permission of Saxifraga - Free Nature Images