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white cudweed, white rabbit-tobacco

sticky rabbit-tobacco, wing cudweed

Habit Biennials or short-lived perennials, 30–60 cm; taprooted. Annuals (viscid and unpleasantly aromatic), 30–100 cm; taprooted.
Stems

densely and persistently white-tomentose, usually with stipitate-glandular hairs protruding through tomentum.

persistently white-tomentose and stipitate-glandular.

Leaf

blades (crowded, internodes mostly 1–3, sometimes to 10 mm) linear-lanceolate, 3–7 cm × 1–5(–6) mm, bases subclasping, not decurrent, margins strongly revolute, faces bicolor, abaxial densely white-tomentose, adaxial green, densely stipitate-glandular.

blades (crowded, internodes mostly 1–3, sometimes to 10, mm) linear-lanceolate, (2–)4–8 cm × 3–10 mm, bases not clasping, usually (at least the proximal) decurrent 3–10 mm, margins strongly revolute to revolute-undulate, faces bicolor, abaxial densely white-tomentose, adaxial densely stipitate-glandular.

Involucres

broadly campanulate, 5–6 mm.

campanulate, 5–6 mm.

Pistillate florets

66–85.

200–250.

Bisexual florets

(6–14, California)29–44.

(13–)16–29.

Phyllaries

in 5–7 series, bright white (opaque, dull), oblong to oblong-ovate, glabrous.

in 5–6 series, tawny-silvery to silvery white (hyaline, shiny), ovate-lanceolate (not keeled or thickened along midribs, not apiculate), glabrous.

Heads

in corymbiform arrays.

in corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

ridged, smooth.

not ridged, papillate-roughened.

2n

= 28.

= 28.

Pseudognaphalium leucocephalum

Pseudognaphalium viscosum

Phenology Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Nov(–Dec). Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Sandy or gravelly slopes, stream bottoms, arroyos, areas of oak-sycamore, oak-pine, to pine woodlands, commonly in riparian vegetation Rocky open sites, roadsides
Elevation 50–2100 m (200–6900 ft) 1400–1800 m (4600–5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico; Central America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Pseudognaphalium leucocephalum is similar to P. viscosum, which has shiny, hyaline, ovate-lanceolate phyllaries, 200–250 pistillate florets, (13–)16–29 bisexual florets, and papillate-roughened cypselae. Some plants of P. leucocephalum also appear to approach P. biolettii in general appearance, and it is possible that some of them may represent hybrids. Plants of P. biolettii differ from P. leucocephalum in their typically eglandular stems, broader, basally ampliate, clasping, more widely spaced, and less densely glandular leaves, and thinner, shiny phyllaries.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Reports of Pseudognaphalium viscosum from the flora for states other than Texas are based on plants of P. macounii. Pseudognaphalium viscosum is similar to P. leucocephalum, which has broader and white-opaque phyllaries, longer bisexual corollas, and smooth cypselae.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 19, p. 423. FNA vol. 19, p. 422.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Gnaphalieae > Pseudognaphalium Asteraceae > tribe Gnaphalieae > Pseudognaphalium
Sibling taxa
P. arizonicum, P. austrotexanum, P. beneolens, P. biolettii, P. californicum, P. canescens, P. helleri, P. jaliscense, P. luteoalbum, P. macounii, P. micradenium, P. microcephalum, P. obtusifolium, P. pringlei, P. ramosissimum, P. roseum, P. saxicola, P. stramineum, P. thermale, P. viscosum
P. arizonicum, P. austrotexanum, P. beneolens, P. biolettii, P. californicum, P. canescens, P. helleri, P. jaliscense, P. leucocephalum, P. luteoalbum, P. macounii, P. micradenium, P. microcephalum, P. obtusifolium, P. pringlei, P. ramosissimum, P. roseum, P. saxicola, P. stramineum, P. thermale
Synonyms Gnaphalium leucocephalum Gnaphalium viscosum
Name authority (A. Gray) Anderberg: Opera Bot. 104: 147. (1991) (Kunth) Anderberg: Opera Bot. 104: 148. (1991)
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