Bald Fleabane

Erigeron calvus is known only from the type collection.

Biennials or short-lived perennials, 10–14 cm; taprooted, without well-developed caudices. Stems ascending, hirsute, minutely glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline (petioles prominently ciliate, at least on proximal portions, hairs spreading, thick-based); basal blades oblong-spatulate to obovate-spatulate, 30–50 × 4–6 mm, cauline abruptly reduced distally, margins entire, faces hirsuto-villous, minutely glandular. Heads (disciform) 1–3 (usually from branches proximal to midstems). Involucres ca. 5 × 13–14 mm. Phyllaries in 2–3 series, coarsely hirsute, minutely glandular. Ray (pistillate) florets ca. 50–100; corollas usually tubular, lacking laminae, or laminae shorter than involucres. Disc corollas 4–5.1 mm (throats white-indurate, somewhat inflated, glabrate). Cypselae 1.5–1.6 mm (immature), 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose (carpopodia whitish); pappi: outer of setae, inner of 15–20 bristles.

Erigeron calvus is a very rare species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known by the common names bald daisy or bald fleabane. It has been found only once, in a collection made in 1891 at the western foot of the Inyo Mountains near the community of Swansea in Inyo County.

The species is listed as "seriously endangered" and may quite possibly be extinct.

Erigeron calvus is a small biennial or perennial herb about 12 cm (5 inches) tall, producing a taproot. One plant can produce several flower heads, sometimes one per branch, sometimes in groups of 2 or 3. Each head has 50-100 small ray florets that are small and resemble disc florets, plus numerous genuine disc florets.