Species: Antennaria anaphaloides Rydb.

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Antennaria anaphaloides Rydb.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Asteraceae or Compositae

Genus:

Antennaria

Species Synonyms:

Antennaria pulcherrima ssp. anaphaloides (Rydb.) W.A. Weber
Antennaria pulcherrima var. anaphaloides (Rydb.) G.W. Douglas

Common Names:

pearly pussytoes
tall everlasting
tall pussytoes

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

British Columbia – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

loamy soil in open fescue prairie

Associated Species:

brome, mountain death camas, nodding onion, northern bedstraw, Pacific anemone, plains rough fescue

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Pearly pussytoes is imperiled because of rarity. This plant is located in one subregion of the province and most local populations are small. In addition, this plant grows in a fragile habitat.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

20 – 60 cm tall

Roots:

dark brown rhizome

Stems:

base compact, branched woody; stems solitary to several, runners absent, not mat forming, white woolly

Leaves:

basal and on the stem; basal leaves long-stalked, 8 – 15 cm long, 5 – 20 mm wide, up to 8 times as long as broad or more, lance-shaped to inversely lance-shaped, tip tapered, base tapering to stalk, upper surface with 3 – 4 conspicuous veins, light woolly; stem leaves reduced upwards, sessile and linear towards the top

Inflorescence:

open cluster; flower stalks long; bracts in several unequal series, to 8 mm high, oval, dry and membranous, white, may have a brownish-black spot at base; male and female flowers on separate plants

Flowers:

several per head; male flowers with club-shaped pappus; petals white

Fruits:

achene 1 – 1.2 mm long, olive, hairless, grooved; pappus present

ANAPHALIS VS ANTENNARIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
Only one species of Anaphalis grows in Saskatchewan, but Anaphalis is very similar in appearance to Antennaria.

1 May have runners; basal leaves conspicuous, may be in a rosette, stem leaves few and reduced upwards, bracts white to yellow-tinged to rose	Antennaria
1 Runners absent; basal leaves deciduous, stem leaves many and not markedly reduced upwards, bracts pearly white	Anaphalis

ANTENNARIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Heads solitary	A. dimorpha
1 Heads more than one	2

2 Runners absent, not mat forming; basal leaves erect, commonly >8 x as long as broad, acute to short-tapered at tip, not rosette forming	3
2 Usually with numerous leafy runners (though may be absent in some species if densely tufted), mat forming; basal leaves spreading and forming rosettes	4

3 Bracts in 3 – 4 unequal series, white or whitish, tapered to obtuse	A. anaphaloides
3 Bracts in 6 – 7 series, deep brown to black, at least inner ones gradually tapered to the tip	A. pulcherrima

4 Rosette leaves to over 5 mm wide; heads 2 or more; achenes bumpy, at least when young	5
4 Rosette leaves < 5 mm broad; heads several; achenes not bumpy	6

5 Upper leaf surface distinctly less hairy than lower, becoming hairless with age	A. neglecta*
5 Upper leaf surface nearly as densely hairy as lower, hairless only in extreme age	A. parvifolia**

6 Bracts with dark spot at the base	A. corymbosa
6 Bracts without dark spot at base	7

7 Bracts pink to rose	A. rosea
7 Bracts white, brown, yellow-brown or green at base	8

8 Young flowering heads not nodding, bracts brown, yellow-brown or green at base, dry and membranous parts brown or whitish	A. umbrinella
8 Younger flowering heads nodding, inner bracts white-brown	A. microphylla

*there are three varieties in Saskatchewan, not addressed in this key
** once considered A. aprica if: bracts 8 – 13 mm high; stem leaves 5 – 7, and A. parvifolia if: bracts 4 – 7 mm high; stem leaves 8 – 12