Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Erigeron bonariensis

Other names

Conyza bonariensis, Flax-leaved Fleabane, Hairy Fleabane

Family

Asteraceae

Flowering season

June to October

English distribution

It is found mainly in southern areas and is thinly

scattered elsewhere.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Argentine Fleabane

Habitat

It is a neophyte first introduced from South America as a

wool alien. It has been naturalised in Greater London since

the early 1990s and is on the  increase.

It grows in cracks on pavements, waste ground, walls, by

roads, paths and railways and as a weed in gardens and

other cultivated ground.

Description

Argentine Fleabane is an erect annual growing up to 60cm.

The flowering stems have long side branches. 

There are large numbers of flowerheads aka capitula.

They are 7 to 11mm across at the time of fruiting.

They are cylindrical to start with but become 

flask-shaped at fruiting.

Individual florets have 5 lobes and the central disc

florets are bisexual. The periferal ray florets are female.

The bracts (phyllaries) are green and often become

red-tipped. There are no ligules and the florets do not

over-top the phyllaries.

The seeds are spread by a pappus made up of white

to grey hairs.

Leaves are linear.

The stem is greyish with curved hairs.

The discussions on whether the genus should be

Erigeron or Conyza is ongoing