Antennaria pulchella
Antennaria aromatica
beautiful pussy-toes, Sierra pussytoes
aromatic pussytoes, scented pussytoes
(1–)3–12 cm (stems usually stipitate-glandular).
2–7 cm (stems stipitate-glandular).
1–4(–9) cm.
0.5–2.5 cm.
1-nerved, spatulate to linear-cuneate, 6–12 × 1.5–4.5 mm, tips mucronate, faces glabrescent-scabrous to gray-pubescent (often with purple glandular hairs).
1-nerved, usually cuneate-spatulate, sometimes oblanceolate, 5–16 × 3–10 mm, tips mucronate, faces gray-pubescent (and stipitate-glandular; fresh leaves citronella scented).
linear, 3–11(–13) mm, usually not flagged (apices acute to acuminate), rarely distal flagged.
linear, 3–14 mm, not flagged (apices acute).
staminate 4–5 mm; pistillate 3.5–4.5 mm.
staminate 4.5–6.5 mm; pistillate 5–7(–9) mm.
staminate 1.9–2.8 mm; pistillate 2–3 mm.
staminate 2.5–3 mm; pistillate 3.5–4.5 mm.
(relatively wide) distally dark brown-black (sometimes light brown or whitish at very tips; apices blunt).
distally light brown, dark brown, or olivaceous.
4–6 in corymbiform arrays.
borne singly or 2–5 in corymbiform arrays.
0.7–1.3 mm, glabrous or slightly papillate;
pappi: staminate 2.5–3.5 mm; pistillate 2.5–3.5 mm.
0.9–2 mm, sparingly papillate;
pappi: staminate 3–4 mm; pistillate 4.5–5.5 mm.
= 28 (as A. media).
= 28, 56, 84.
Antennaria pulchella
Antennaria aromatica
Antennaria pulchella is the diploid progenitor of A. media and, consequently, a progenitor of the A. alpina complex (R. J. Bayer 1990d). The A. rosea and A. parvifolia complexes also have the genome of A. pulchella, shown in the high elevation clones with dark phyllaries in these two polyploid complexes. Antennaria pulchella is differentiated from A. media by shorter pistillate or staminate corollas and shorter cauline leaves (Bayer). This sexually reproducing diploid ranges from the area around Lake Tahoe to the Mt. Whitney region (Bayer).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Known only from the northern Rockies, Antennaria aromatica is characterized by glandulosity, cuneate leaves, and odor of citronella in crushed leaves of living material. It is most closely related to A. densifolia of the Northwest Territories and Yukon (R. J. Bayer 1989c). Some collections of pistillate plants from Colorado and other areas of the Rockies superficially resemble A. aromatica and undoubtedly have A. aromatica in their parentage. They are non-glandular and odorless and are closer to the type of A. pulvinata, which is included in the circumscription of A. rosea, as A. rosea subsp. pulvinata (Bayer). Antennaria aromatica is a sexual progenitor of the A. rosea and A. alpina polyploid complexes.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
