General:
Perennial herb from a taproot and stout, thickened stem-base; stems erect, simple, densely glandular and spreading-hairy to nearly glabrous, 3-25 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves 3-forked or 2-4 times divided in 3's, hairy like the stems, 5-8 cm long (including the long stalk); stem leaves few, reduced, mostly linear and entire.

Flowers:
Heads with ray and disk flowers (sometimes discoid), solitary, the disks 8-20 mm wide; involucres 5-10 mm tall; involucral bracts thin, subequal and purplish, at least at the tips; ray flowers 20-60, white, pink or blue, up to 12 mm long and 2 mm wide; disk flowers 3-5 mm long.

Fruits:
Achenes 2-nerved, long stiff-hairy; pappus simple, of 12-20 bristles.

Notes:
The var. discoideus A. Gray, although known from adjacent WA and YT, has yet to be collected in BC. Most BC material named such are misidentifications of E. salishii and E. trifidus. The var. discoideus was first recorded in BC in 1999 at Merritt (Douglas et al. 2002). The two varieties may be distinguished as follows:

1. Leaves 2-4 times divided in 3's................ var. glabratus Macoun

1. Leaves 3-forked..................... var. discoideus A. Gray

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Flower Colour:
White

Blooming Period:
Late Spring

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Spring to Summer

Source:  The USDA

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Erigeron compositus var. discoideus Gray
Erigeron compositus var. glabratus Macoun
Erigeron compositus var. multifidus (Rydb.) J.F. Macbr. & Payson
Erigeron compositus var. typicus Hook.