Early Bluetop Fleabane

Erigeron vetensis is found in the Rocky Mountains.

Perennials, 5–25 cm; taprooted, caudices with relatively short, thick branches, often retaining old leaf bases. Stems erect, glabrous or sparsely hirsute to villous, densely glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline (petioles prominently ciliate, hairs spreading, thick-based); blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 20–90(–150) × 2–4(–7) mm, margins entire, faces glabrous or sparsely hispidulous, minutely glandular; cauline on proximal ¹ / 3 – ² / 3 of stems, gradually reduced distally. Heads 1. Involucres 4–8 × 7–15 mm. Phyllaries in 3–4 series (midvein region greenish), sparsely to moderately hispid or hispido-villous, minutely and densely glandular. Ray florets 30–90; corollas usually bluish to purplish, sometimes white, drying pinkish, 6–16 mm, laminae reflexing. Disc corollas 3.2–5.3 mm (throats tubular). Cypselae 1.8–2.2 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of inconspicuous, fine setae, inner of 18–25 bristles.

Erigeron glandulosus Porter; E. porteri S. F. Blake

Erigeron vetensis is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name early blue-top fleabane. It is native to the western United States (primarily in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico but with an isolated population in Nebraska).

Erigeron vetensis grows in dry, open sites in openings in conifer forests. It is a perennial herb up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) tall. It generally produces only one flower head per stem. Each head contains 30–90; blue, purple, or white ray florets surrounding numerous yellow disc florets.