Species: Antennaria corymbosa E. Nels.

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Antennaria corymbosa E. Nels.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Asteraceae or Compositae

Genus:

Antennaria

Species Synonyms:

Antennaria acuta Rydb.
Antennaria dioica var. corymbosa (E. Nels.) Jepson
Antennaria hygrophila Greene
Antennaria nardina Greene

Common Names:

flattop pussytoes
meadow everlasting

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

open woods and prairies in dry to moist soil

Canada:

dry fescue prairie

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 N1 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Meadow everlasting is endangered because of extreme rarity. This plant is located in one subregion of the province and is almost always locally sparse. No immediate threats are known but are possible in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 30 cm tall

Roots:

rhizome

Stems:

runners leafy; stems solitary, slender, loosely mat forming, with a light covering of short, mangled hairs

Leaves:

basal and on the stem; basal 2 – 4 cm long, < 5 mm wide, narrowly inversely lance-shaped to spatula shaped, apex with a sharp, abrupt point, base tapering, greyish, hairy on both sides; stem leaves alternate, sessile, reduced upwards, linear, apex with a sharp, abrupt point

Inflorescence:

several heads in compact cluster; stalk short; bracts 4 – 5 mm high, whitish with dark brown spots at base, tip whitish (may be light pink when young)

Flowers:

petals white

Fruits:

achene not bumpy, 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