Species: Antennaria umbrinella Rydb.

comments | credits | copyright

Back to: Plants at Risk in Saskatchewan

Antennaria umbrinella Rydb.

Species Image Gallery
(opens in a new window)

TAXONOMY

Family:

Asteraceae or Compositae

Genus:

Antennaria

Species Synonyms:

Antennaria aizoides Greene
Antennaria flavescens Rydb.
Antennaria reflexa E. Nels.

Common Names:

brown everlasting
umber pussytoes
brown-bracted pussytoes

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon Territory – southwestern Mackenzie District – British Columbia – southwestern and northern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern and northern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills – Stone – Val Marie, Hasbala Lake

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mixed Grassland, Selwyn Lake Upland, Tazin Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry, open, gravelly slopes

Associated species:

Idaho fescue, lanceleaf stonecrop, Raynolds’sedge

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2S3

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Brown everlasting is rare to uncommon in Saskatchewan. It occurs in two general regions of the province, southwestern and northeastern and is usually locally numerous. No immediate threats are known but are possible in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

8 – 15 cm tall

Roots:

rhizomes brown

Stems:

tufted, thin, hairs short and tangled; runners ascending, leafy

Leaves:

basal, approximately 2 cm long, > 5 mm across, spatula-shaped to inversely lanceolate, apex with sharp, abrupt point, midvein conspicuous below, hairs white, short and tangled

Inflorescence:

scarcely nodding when young; heads 3 – 8, clustered, 0.5 – 1 cm across; stalks short; bracts 5 – 6 mm high, tip obtuse or tapered, brown to yellow-brown to green at base, tips pale brown, dry and membranous parts brownish to dirty white; inner bracts blunt, entire

Flowers:

petals white

Fruits:

achene hairless

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