Antennaria howellii
Antennaria alpina
Antennaire de Howell, everlasting pussytoes, Howell's pussytoes, small pussytoes
alpine catsfoot, alpine pussytoes
(6–)8–35 cm (stems sometimes stipitate-glandular).
3–18 cm.
1–9(–12) cm.
1–7 cm.
1-nerved, spatulate to oblanceolate, spatulate-obovate, narrowly to broadly ovate, or cuneate-oblanceolate, 20–48(–65) × 2.5–20 mm, tips mucronate, faces abaxially tomentose, adaxially green-glabrous or gray-pubescent.
1-nerved, spatulate to oblanceolate, 6–25 × 2–7 mm, tips mucronate, abaxial faces tomentose, adaxial green-glabrescent to gray-pubescent.
linear, 8–40 mm, distal sometimes flagged (apices acute).
linear, 5–20 mm, at least mid and distal flagged.
staminate 6–6.5 mm;
pistillate 6–11 mm.
staminate 5–6.5 mm;
pistillate 4–7(–10) mm.
staminate 3–4 mm;
pistillate 3.5–6.5(–8) mm.
staminate 3–3.5 mm;
pistillate 3.5–5 mm.
(bases sometimes rose) distally white, cream, or light brown.
distally dark brown, black, or olivaceous.
3–15 in corymbiform arrays.
2–5 in corymbiform arrays.
0.8–2 mm, ± papillate;
pappi: staminate 4–4.5 mm;
pistillate 5.5–9 mm.
1–1.8 mm, sparingly papillate;
pappi: staminate 3.5–4 mm;
pistillate 4.5–6 mm.
= 56, 84, 140 (under A. neodioica).
= 56, 84, 98, 112.
Antennaria howellii
Antennaria alpina
Subspecies 4 (4 in the flora).
The Antennaria howellii (previously A. neodioica) polyploid complex is highly variable morphologically; four more or less distinct subspecies can be recognized within it. The sexual progenitors of the complex are A. neglecta, A. plantaginifolia, A. racemosa, and A. virginica (see R. J. Bayer 1985). Antennaria marginata may also be a minor contributor to the origins of the complex. A. Cronquist (H. A. Gleason and Cronquist 1991) included members of this complex in A. neglecta; I maintain, because these apomicts are of hybrid polyploid origin from among multiple sexual progenitors, they best not be included within the circumscription of any one sexual progenitor (Bayer 1989d).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Antennaria alpina is one of the more morphologically variable agamic complexes in the genus. Some taxonomists have argued that true Antennaria alpina does not occur in North America, because none of the North American material exactly matches the type of A. alpina, which is from Lapland (M. O. Malte 1934; A. E. Porsild 1965). If one uses a strict typological species concept, then this is true; I recognize that this species complex is composed of innumerable apomictic clones and am circumscribing a broad species concept for A. alpina. The potential morphologic overlap between the A. media and A. alpina complexes is a major taxonomic problem. The chief difference between members of the two complexes is the presence of prominent flags on cauline leaves in A. alpina and their absence in A. media. Antennaria alpina of North America is gynoecious and characterized by its dark green to black phyllaries and conspicuous flags on the distal cauline leaves. The basal leaves vary from glabrous, as in the type material, to pubescent. The primary progenitors of the A. alpina complex include A. aromatica, A. densifolia, A. friesiana subsp. alaskana, A. friesiana subsp. neoalaskana, A. monocephala subsp. monocephala, and A. pulchella.
Excluded names:
Some Antennaria names are based on early-generation interspecific hybrids, including:
Antennaria ×erigeroides Greene = A. corymbosa × A. racemosa
A. ×foliacea Greene = A. microphylla × A. racemosa
A. ×macounii Greene = A. media × A. umbrinella
A. ×oblancifolia E. E. Nelson = A. racemosa × A. umbrinella
A. ×rousseaui A. E. Porsild = ? A. alpina × A. rosea
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Basal leaves green-glabrous adaxially | → 2 |
1. Basal leaves pubescent adaxially (sometimes glabrescent with age) | → 3 |
2. Basal leaves 1-nerved, 20–40 × 6–9 mm; distal cauline leaves flagged; phyllaries distally white or cream | subsp. canadensis |
2. Basal leaves 1–3-nerved, 25–40 × 9–12 mm; distal cauline leaves not flagged; phyllaries distally light brown or white | subsp. howellii |
3. Basal leaves spatulate to narrowly or broadly obovate (petiolate); stolons 3–8(–12) cm (leaves along stolons almost equal to those in rosettes at ends) | subsp. neodioica |
3. Basal leaves cuneate-oblanceolate, spatulate, or spatulate-obovate (without distinct petioles); stolons 4–9 cm (leaves along stolons smaller than in rosettes at ends) | subsp. petaloidea |
- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
KS Wildflowers, 
MD Biodiversity, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
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