Rayless Shaggy Fleabane

Erigeron aphanactis is distinguished from E. austiniae by its conspicuously puberulent (versus essentially glabrous) disc corollas and white (versus yellow) carpopodia; it also is similiar in habit and vestiture to E. concinnus, which has conspicuous white to pinkish rays.

Perennials, 2–20(–30) cm; tap­rooted, caudices branched. Stems erect to slightly decumbent-ascending, canescent-hirsute, densely stipitate-glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline (petioles prominently ciliate, at least on proximal portions, hairs thick-based, spreading); basal blades linear-oblanceolate to spatulate, 20–80 × 2–7 mm, cauline gradually or abruptly reduced distally, sometimes bractlike (stems scapiform), margins entire, faces canescent-hirsute, densely stipitate-glandular (hairs finer). Heads (disciform) 1–4. Involucres 4–6 × 7–15 mm. Phyllaries in 2–3 series, coarsely hirsute, densely minutely glandular. Ray (pistillate) florets 30–45; corollas usually tubular, lacking laminae, or laminae shorter than involucres. Disc corollas 2.8–4.5 mm (throats white-indurate and inflated, conspicuously puberulent). Cypselae 1.5–1.8 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose (carpopodia whitish); pappi: outer of scales or setae, inner of 7–20 bristles.

Erigeron concinnus (Hooker & Arnott) Torrey & A. Gray var. aphanactis A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 540. 1865 (as concinnum)

Erigeron aphanactis is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name rayless daisy,: 121  or rayless shaggy fleabane. This wildflower is native to the western United States, primarily the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau regions (eastern California, Nevada, Utah, western Colorado, northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, southern Idaho, eastern Oregon).

Erigeron aphanactis grows in sage, scrub, and open woodland habitat. It is a short, clumping perennial with stem and foliage covered in stiff hairs and resin glands. Most of the narrow, fuzzy leaves are near the base of the plant. The erect stems hold inflorescences of one or more flat, buttonlike flower heads, which contain numerous golden yellow disc florets but no ray florets. Each head is about 10 mm (0.4 inches) wide.

Varieties Erigeron aphanactis var. aphanactis - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah Erigeron aphanactis var. congestus (Greene) Cronquist - California, Nevada, Utah