Erigeron multifolius var. amplisquamus Y. Ling & Y. L. Chen; E. multifolius var. pilanthus Y. Ling & Y. L. Chen.

Herbs, perennial, (3-)6-25 cm tall; rhizome thick, ca. 10 mm in diam. Stems single or several, erect to ascending, sometimes decumbent, 2-3 mm in diam. at base, simple, rarely branched, densely villous, strigillose, more densely so upward, ± stipitate glandular, densely leafy. Leaves: surfaces villous-scabrous and scabridulous (particularly on veins), margin entire, rarely sparsely serrate; basal often withered at anthesis, blade spatulate to oblanceolate, subequal; cauline numerous, lower petiolate, petiole narrowly winged, blade oblong or oblanceolate-oblong, 3-7 × 0.3-0.7 cm, slightly reduced upward, base attenuate, apex rounded or obtuse, mid and upper sessile, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2-6 × 0.5-1 cm, subclasping, apex obtuse or acute. Capitula solitary, or sometimes 2-4 in corymbose synflorescences, 2-3 cm in diam. Involucre hemispheric, 0.6-0.8 × 1.5-2.5 cm; phyllaries 3-seriate, equaling or exceeding disk florets, outer slightly shorter (sometimes broad, 1.5-2 mm wide), green, sometimes purple, lanceolate, abaxially sparsely to ± densely villous (particularly at base), shortly scabrous (particularly along midvein), eglandular, leaflike, inner narrowly oblong, 7-10 × 0.5-1 mm, membranous, margin ± villous-ciliate, apex acuminate, often purplish, innermost margin narrowly scarious. Ray florets 3-seriate, white, sometimes pink tinged or purplish, 8-10 mm, tube 2.5-3 mm, sparsely puberulent above, lamina linear, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, involute when dry, glabrous or sparsely hairy; disk florets yellow, veins orange, (4-)4.6-4.8 mm, tube 2.5-2.9 mm, sparsely hairy above, also sometimes on limb and lobe base, limb narrowly funnelform, lobes ovate, 0.5-0.6 mm, anthers and style branches often exserted from disk corolla. Achenes oblong to oblanceolate, flattened (immature), 2-3 mm, sparsely to ± densely strigillose. Pappus 2-seriate, yellowish, outer bristles 0.2-0.3 mm, inner 3.7-4.7 mm. Fl. Jun-Aug.

Two varieties have been recognized in Erigeron multifolius in addition to the typical variety, both from NW Yunnan. Erigeron multifolius var. pilanthus (Weixi; 3500-3600 m) has a hairy disk corolla limb and lobe base, an extension of hairiness from the sparsely hairy tube; more data on this feature in other populations are needed before recognition of the variety is warranted. Erigeron multifolius var. amplisquamus, from alpine meadows at 3400-3800 m, has broad outer phyllaries (1.5-2 mm wide) equaling or exceeding the purplish ray florets. This variety may deserve recognition upon further study.

● Forest margins, alpine or subalpine meadows, rocky slopes; 2600-4100 m. SE Xizang, NW Yunnan.