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 Festuca 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

Antennaria corymbosa 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:

stolons leafy; stems solitary slender, loosely mat forming, thinly tomentose

Leaves:

basal and cauline; basal 2 – 4 cm long, < 5 mm wide, narrowly oblanceolate to spatulate, apex mucronate, base tapering, greyish, pubescent on both sides; cauline leaves alternate, reduced upwards, sessile, linear, apex mucronate

Inflorescence:

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

Flowers:

corolla white

Fruits:

achene not papillate; 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 stolons; basal leaves conspicuous, may be in a rosette, stem leaves few and reduced upwards; phyllaries white to yellow-tinged to rose	Antennaria
1 Stolons absent; basal leaves deciduous, stem leaves many and not markedly reduced upwards; phyllaries pearly white	Anaphalis

ANTENNARIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

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

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

3 Involucre in 3 – 4 unequal series, white or whitish, acute to obtuse	A. anaphaloides
3 Involucre in 6 – 7 series, deep brown to black, at least inner ones acuminate	A. pulcherrima

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

5 Upper leaf surface distinctly less pubescent than lower, becoming glabrate or glabrous with age	A. neglecta*
5 Upper leaf surface nearly as densely pubescent as lower, glabrate 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 Inner phyllaries pink to rose	A. rosea
7 All phyllaries white, brown, yellow-brown or green at base	8

8 Young flowering heads not nodding; phyllaries brown, yellow-brown or green at base, scarious parts brown or whitish	A. umbrinella
8 Younger flowering heads nodding; inner phyllaries white-brown	A. microphylla

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