Antennaria howellii
Antennaria virginica
Antennaire de Howell, everlasting pussytoes, Howell's pussytoes, small pussytoes
shale barren pussytoes
(6–)8–35 cm (stems sometimes stipitate-glandular).
4–25 cm.
1–9(–12) cm.
2–8 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-oblanceolate, 10–25 × 3–9 mm, tips mucronate, faces greenish gray, moderately pubescent.
linear, 8–40 mm, distal sometimes flagged (apices acute).
linear, 4–20 mm, not flagged (apices acute).
staminate 6–6.5 mm;
pistillate 6–11 mm.
staminate 3.8–6 mm;
pistillate 5–7 mm.
staminate 3–4 mm;
pistillate 3.5–6.5(–8) mm.
staminate 2.2–3.5 mm;
pistillate 2.8–4.5 mm.
(bases sometimes rose) distally white, cream, or light brown.
distally white or stramineous.
3–15 in corymbiform arrays.
3–6(–9) in corymbiform arrays.
0.8–2 mm, ± papillate;
pappi: staminate 4–4.5 mm;
pistillate 5.5–9 mm.
0.8–1.3 mm, slightly papillate;
pappi: staminate 2.8–4(–5) mm;
pistillate 3.5–5.2 mm.
= 56, 84, 140 (under A. neodioica).
= 28, 56.
Antennaria howellii
Antennaria virginica
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.)
G. L. Stebbins (1936) and R. J. Bayer and Stebbins (1982) maintained that Antennaria virginica is a distinct species. After previously recognizing the taxon as a variety of A. neglecta, A. Cronquist (1945; H. A. Gleason and Cronquist 1991) agreed. It is a sexual progenitor of the A. howellii complex and is most closely related to A. howellii subsp. neodioica (Bayer 1985). Antennaria virginica is dioecious and is characterized by its relatively small, spatulate, basal leaves and subulate-tipped cauline leaves, which separate it from A. neglecta and the gynoecious A. howellii complex (Stebbins 1935; Bayer and Stebbins).
(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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OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
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MI Flora, 
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PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
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