Antennaria howellii
Antennaria densifolia
Antennaire de Howell, everlasting pussytoes, Howell's pussytoes, small pussytoes
denseleaf pussytoes
(6–)8–35 cm (stems sometimes stipitate-glandular).
3.5–16 cm.
1–9(–12) cm.
1–2 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 cuneate, 3–7 × 2–5 mm, tips mucronate, faces gray-tomentose.
linear, 8–40 mm, distal sometimes flagged (apices acute).
linear, 2–13 mm, distal flagged.
staminate 6–6.5 mm;
pistillate 6–11 mm.
staminate 3–6.5 mm;
pistillate 4.5–7.5 mm.
staminate 3–4 mm;
pistillate 3.5–6.5(–8) mm.
staminate 2–3.5 mm;
pistillate 2.5–4.5 mm.
(bases sometimes rose) distally white, cream, or light brown.
distally light brown, dark brown, or black.
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.
0.8–1.5 mm, glabrous;
pappi: staminate 2.5–3.5 mm;
pistillate 2.5–3.5 mm.
involucres 4.5–7.5 mm.
= 56, 84, 140 (under A. neodioica).
= 28.
Antennaria howellii
Antennaria densifolia
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 densifolia is found on limestone talus below treeline in the MacKenzie, Richardson, and Ogilvie mountains of the District of MacKenzie and Yukon Territory and in Granite County, Montana (R. J. Bayer 1989c). It differs from A. aromatica in being non-glandular and in other characters. Herbarium specimens (in DAO) from British Columbia that morphologically appear to be a strictly gynoecious form of A. densifolia may be apomicts related to A. alpina that are derived from A. densifolia, a sexual progenitor of the complex.
(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 |
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WA - Local Web sites:
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MI Flora, 
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PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
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