Scientific Family
Asteraceae
Synonyms
Antennaria aprica, A.aureola, A.holmii, A.latisquamea, A.minuscula, A.obtusata, A.pumila, A.recurva, A.rhodanthus
Other common names
Rocky Mountain pussytoes
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
3 inches
Riparian
No
Low-growing, mat-forming; plant has a distinctive whitish or grayish-green color due to the presence of dense white hairs on the leaves; leaves are the base in a basal rosette and distributed along the flowering stem. Flower heads on stems above leaves.
Leaves mostly in basal rosettes, blades hairy on upper surface; female flower heads 1/2 inch or more high, non-glandular and separated into male and female flower heads.
Habitat
Found in pastures, prairies, roadsides, parks, open woods, and drier coniferous forests.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
5000
High elevation
12000
Flower Characteristics
Clusters of 2 to 7 flower heads made up of disc flowers only; female heads 1/2 inch long surrounded by green to purple bracts with white, pink, red or brown tips; male flower heads rounded with scaly white flowers and brown columns of stamens at center.
Flower color
Green, purple, white, pink, red, brown
Flower shape
Daisy or dandelion-like
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves mostly in a basal rosette, 1-veined, narrow, egg-shaped to spoon-shaped 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, margins smooth, leaves along stem mostly linear with pointed tips; dense matted hairs.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Grayish-green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is a brown seed to 1/16 inch long with a tuft of white hair; hairs are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit color
Brown