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Fan-leaved Fleabane - Erigeron flabellifolius
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Erigeron flabellifolius is a regional endemic of Montana and Wyoming. In Montana, it is restricted to rocky, alpine habitats of the Beartooth Plateau and the Crazy Mountains. Most populations are poorly documented and lack plant count and distribution data, though habitat is largely intact and in good condition. The nature of its remote, alpine habitat presumes that populations may be stable or are only experiencing minor declines. Threats have not been reported though climate change poses a potential risk to populations. Overall, Erigeron flabellifolius remains vulnerable in Montana due to its relative rarity and restricted range.
Surveys that bring forth current information on distributions, population counts, viability, habitat conditions, and threats is greatly needed. Surveys of potentially suitable habitat in the area of the known occurrence are also needed to verify if other populations exist.
General Description
Taprooted perennial with a slender-branched caudex. Stems erect, 2–10 cm. Herbage minutely glandular. Leaves basal and cauline; blades cuneate to oblanceolate, 1–3 cm long, shallowly divided into crowded, ovate, sometimes dentate, ultimate lobes, less divided above. Heads solitary, radiate. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric, 7–10 mm high; phyllaries in 2 to 3 series, glandular, purplish. Rays 50 to 70, white; ligules 5–9 mm long. Disk corollas 4–5 mm long. Achenes ca. 2 mm long; pappus in 1 series (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Phenology
Flowering in July and August.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Regional endemic of SW Montana and NW Wyoming.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 33
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Gravelly soil or talus in the subalpine and alpine zones.
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Alpine
Alpine - Sparse and Barren
Ecology
POLLINATORS The following animal species have been reported as pollinators of this plant species or its genus where their geographic ranges overlap:
Bombus bifarius,
Bombus centralis,
Bombus fervidus,
Bombus flavifrons,
Bombus huntii,
Bombus melanopygus,
Bombus mixtus,
Bombus rufocinctus,
Bombus occidentalis, and
Bombus insularis (Thorp et al. 1983, Wilson et al. 2010, Colla and Dumesh 2010, Koch et al. 2012).
Stewardship Responsibility
Threats or Limiting Factors
Fan-leaved Fleabane is known from the Beartooth Plateau and Crazy Mountains, where its limited distribution contributes to a greater risk for state extirpation. Climate change also poses a potential risk to the state's population. The MTNHP conducted a species-level assessment using the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) in 2021, which resulted in a Highly Vulnerable rating to climate change. Climate change including increased ambient temperatures, decreased snowpacks, and increased frequencies and severities of drought could have negative impacts on the species; however, field-based data on the timing and magnitude from climate change is not available. Although climate change is listed as a potential threat to the species, it is not used in the calculation of the overall threat rank, score, or final subnational rank.
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication
Colla, S.R. and S. Dumesh. 2010. The bumble bees of southern Ontario: notes on natural history and distribution. Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario 141:39-68.- Koch, J., J. Strange, and P. Williams. 2012. Bumble bees of the western United States. Washington, DC: USDA Forest Service, Pollinator Partnership. 143 p.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- MTNHP Threat Assessment. 2021. State Threat Score Assignment and Assessment of Reported Threats from 2006 to 2021 for State-listed Vascular Plants. Botany Program, Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana.
- Thorp, R.W., D.S. Horning, and L.L. Dunning. 1983. Bumble bees and cuckoo bumble bees of California (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Bulletin of the California Insect Survey 23:1-79.
- Wilson, J.S., L.E. Wilson, L.D. Loftis, and T. Griswold. 2010. The montane bee fauna of north central Washington, USA, with floral associations. Western North American Naturalist 70(2): 198-207.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Fertig, W. and M. Bynum. 1994. Biological report on the proposed Twin Lakes Research Natural Area. Unpublished report to the Shoshone National Forest. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, Wyoming. 33 pp. plus appendices.
- Lesica, P. 1993. Vegetation and flora of the Line Creek Plateau area, Carbon County, Montana. Unpublished report to USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana. 30 pp.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Vanderhorst, J.P. 1994. Sensitive plant surveys in the Gallatin National Forest, Montana. Unpublished report to the Gallatin National Forest. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 54 pp.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Fan-leaved Fleabane"
