Annuals or perennials, 10-40+ cm. Leaves: bases obscurely, if at all, clasping, faces densely to loosely tomentose (at least abaxially, sometimes glandular beneath tomentum); proximal spatulate to oblanceolate, 20-30+ × 3-5+ mm, distally toothed or entire; distal similar, smaller, narrower, entire. Heads in ± corymbiform arrays. Involucres 5-7 mm. Receptacles 3-4 mm diam. Pistillate florets 40-80; corollas: equaling or surpassing styles, laminae 0.5-1 mm. Disc florets 5-8. Cypselae pale tan to brownish, 2-3 mm, sparsely strigose, eglandular; pappi of 30-40+ white bristles in 2 series, outer ± persistent, usually 0.3-1 mm, sometimes 4-5 mm, inner persistent or ± fragile, 4-5+ mm.

Flowering summer. Dry grasslands or woodlands; 1500 m; Ariz.; Mexico.

Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Herbaceous annuals, to 30 cm tall or more, herbage gray-tomentose, without stiff or glandular hairs, stems sparsely branched above, the branches nearly naked.

Leaves: Alternate, lower leaves oblanceolate, the margins toothed or entire, the bases obscurely, if at all, clasping, the faces gray tomentose, reducing distally.

Flowers: Heads small, radiate, rays white, short and inconspicuous, pistillate florets 40-80, the corollas not much surpassing the styles, disk florets 5-8, the involucres not graduated, 5-7 mm, receptacles 3-4 mm diameter, phyllaries not herbaceous, heads several to many, in corymbiform arrays.

Fruits: Achenes sparsely strigose, pale tan to brown, 2-3 mm long. Pappus sparse, of subequal capillary bristles in 2 series.

Ecology: Found in dry grasslands and woodlands, from to 4,500 ft (1372 m); flowering summer.

Distribution: Arizona, Mexico.

Notes: Use the gray tomentose stems and leaves to help identify this annual. Look for this species under Erigeron eriophylla in older texts.

Ethnobotany: Unknown

Etymology: Laennecia is named for Rene Theophile Hyancinthe Laennec (1781-1826), while eriophylla is from Greek erion for wook and phyllon for leaf.

Synonyms: Conyza eriophylla, Erigeron eriophyllus

Editor: LCrumbacher 2011