Erigeron serpentinus is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names serpentine fleabane and serpentine daisy. It is endemic to Sonoma County, California, where it is known from three occurrences in and around The Cedars,[2] in the Coast Ranges east of Salt Point and west of Healdsburg.[3][4][5] There are an estimated 1100 individuals in existence.[1] The Cedars is a canyon habitat with serpentine soils surrounded by non-serpentine terrain; it is home to several rare serpentine-endemic plant species.[6] This daisy was discovered there and described to science in 1992.[7]
| Erigeron serpentinus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Erigeron |
| Species: | E. serpentinus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Erigeron serpentinus | |
Erigeron serpentinus is a perennial herb producing an upright stem up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) long from a taproot and caudex unit. The linear leaves are up to 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) long and under a millimeter wide. The inflorescence is a solitary flower head or a cluster of 2–4 heads. Each has 9–13 white ray florets 7 or 8 millimeters in length which turn blue as they dry. These surround numerous yellow disc florets.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ a b NatureServe (7 April 2023). "Erigeron serpentinus". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ "Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan" (PDF). Fire Safe Sonoma. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-13.
- ^ California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile
- ^ Calflora taxon report, University of California, Erigeron serpentinus G. Nesom serpentine daisy, serpentine erigeron
- ^ Nesom, Guy L. 1992. Phytologia 72(3): map 1, page 164 distribution map showing Erigeron serpentinus and several other species
- ^ Raiche, R. (2009). The Cedars: Sonoma County's Hidden Treasure. Fremontia 37:2 3.
- ^ Nesom, G. L. (1992). Revision of Erigeron sect. Linearifolii (Asteraceae: Astereae). Phytologia 72 157–208.
- ^ Flora of North America, Erigeron serpentinus G. L. Nesom, 1992. Serpentine fleabane
- ^ Nesom, Guy L. 1992. Phytologia 72(3): 203–204 diagnosis in Latin, description and commentary in English