Species: Antennaria dimorpha (Nutt.) Torr. & Gray

comments | credits | copyright

Back to: Plants at Risk in Saskatchewan

Antennaria dimorpha (Nutt.) Torr. & Gray

Species Image Gallery
(opens in a new window)

TAXONOMY

Family:

Asteraceae or Compositae

Genus:

Antennaria

Species Synonyms:

Antennaria dimorpha var. integra Henderson
Antennaria dimorpha var. latisquama (Piper) M.E. Peck
Antennaria dimorpha var. macrocephala D.C. Eat
Antennaria latisquama Piper
Antennaria macrocephala (D.C. Eat) Rydb.
Gnaphalium dimorphum Nutt.

Common Names:

low everlasting
low pussytoes
cushion pussytoes

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

British Columbia – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Leader, Eastend, Killdeer

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry sand, silt, gravel or clay in short-grass prairie

Associated species:

Allium textile, Antennaria parvifolia, Arenaria congesta, Arnica fulgens, Astragalus pectinatus, Senecio integerrimus, Selaginella densa, Townsendia exscapa

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Antennaria dimorpha is threatened because of rarity. This plant is regionally restricted in Saskatchewan. No immediate threats are known but are possible in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

1 – 5 cm tall

Stems:

caudex branched; stems perennial, densely caespitose, mat forming, stolons absent, greyish-tomentose

Leaves:

basal and cauline; basal leaves erect, 1 – 4 mm wide, tapering to petiole-like base, tip acute; cauline leaves well-developed, 1 – 3 cm long, linear to lanceolate, gray tomentose on both sides

Inflorescence:

dioecious, solitary; staminate heads: phyllaries 5 – 7 mm, colourless and hyaline at margins and apex, otherwise blackish green or brown; pistillate heads: phyllaries 10 – 15 mm high, narrow, slender, tinged with brown or reddish-brown, margin whitish at apex

Flowers:

corolla white; staminate pappus bristles upwardly barbellate

Fruits:

achene 3 mm long, puberulent, olive coloured; pappus long, white

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