California rayless fleabane

Erigeron inornatus (A. Gray) A. Gray var. reductus Cronquist, Brittonia 6: 288. 1947

Perennials, 8–20(–30) cm; taprooted, caudices branches rhizomelike, relatively long and slender. Stems (usually 1) erect or ascending, glabrous, eglandular. Leaves cauline; blades linear, 8–25(–35) × 0.5–1(–1.5) mm, barely reduced distally, margins entire, ascending-ciliate, faces glabrous or sparsely strigose, eglandular. Heads (discoid) 1(–2–4). Involucres 4–6 × 8–10 mm. Phyllaries in 3–5 series (greenish or purplish apically), glabrous, minutely glandular. Ray (pistillate) florets 0. Disc corollas 3.5–4.5 mm (throats slightly indurate, not inflated). Cypselae 2.2–2.8 mm, 2-nerved, faces glabrous; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 20–61 bristles.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): California.