Species: Antennaria umbrinella Rydb.

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Antennaria umbrinella Rydb.

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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 – south western Mackenzie District – British Columbia to 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:

Carex raynoldsii, Festuca idahoensis, Sedum lanceolatum

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2S3

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Antennaria umbrinella 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, tomentose; stolons ascending, leafy

Leaves:

basal, ~2 cm long, > 5 mm across, spatulate to oblanceolate, apex mucronate, midvein conspicuous below, white tomentose

Inflorescence:

scarcely nodding when young; heads 3 – 8, clustered, 0.5 – 1 cm across; peduncle short; phyllaries 5 – 6 mm high, apex obtuse or acute, brown to yellow-brown to green at base, tips pale brown, scarious parts brownish to dirty white; inner phyllaries blunt, entire

Flowers:

corolla white

Fruits:

achene glabrous

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