About Erigeron quercifolius Lam.
Plant Life Cycle
Erigeron quercifolius Lam. plants can be annual, biennial, or perennial.
Stem and Flower Type
They are well-branched with erect stems, and are characterized by numerous white, lavender, or pink ray flowers alongside yellow disc flowers.
Ray Flower Variation
Some individuals of this species do not produce ray flowers.
Pappus Structure
The pappus, a modified calyx that forms a crown, is made of bristles and is shorter than the pappus found in Aster species.
Ray Floret Morphology
The ray florets of this species are narrower than those of Aster, but are longer than the involucre, the whorled collection of bracts.
Lepidoptera Larval Food Source
In ecology, Erigeron species are eaten as food by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species.
Associated Lepidoptera Species
These include Bucculatrix angustata, Coleophora squamosella which feeds exclusively on E. acris, Schinia intermontana, Schinia obscurata which both feed exclusively on Erigeron, Schinia sexata which feeds exclusively on E. glabellus, and Schinia villosa.
Environmental Biomass Response
In montane meadows, the above-ground biomass of Erigeron becomes lower when water availability decreases and temperatures increase.
Ornamental Cultivation
Many Erigeron species are grown as ornamental plants, and there are numerous named cultivars including 'Wayne Roderick', 'Charity', 'Foersters Liebling', and 'Dunkelste aller' — the latter translates to "The darkest of all" and has semi-double, deep-violet flower heads.
