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Antennaria neglecta Greene
Field pussytoes
Field pussytoes are North American natives.
Plants: These mat-forming plants spread by rooting.
Stems, leaves, and flowerhead clusters are woolly, covered in long white
matted hairs. Flowering stalks are 8–12″ (20–30 cm) high.
Leaves: Basal leaves form a
basal rosette with leaves to 2½ ⨉ ½″ (6.3 ⨉ 1.3 cm). These leaves have narrow tapered
bases (“spatulate”), pointed tips, and curved edges. Stem leaves are much smaller,
up to 1 ⨉ ⅛″ (2.5 cm ⨉ 3.2 mm),
alternate, and linear,
with smooth edges and hairs. Leaves are 1/32–2½″ (1.5–65 mm) long.
Flowers: Flower are technically composite flowers
(containing both disc and ray flowers), but field pussytoes have only disc flowers. The fuzzy clusters
of 2-8 flowers remind me a little of a batch of Q-tips.
They appear from April to June.
Fruits: Achenes are ~1/32″ (0.9–1.4 mm)
with a tuft of hairs (“pappus”). Hairs are up to ¼″ (9 mm) long.
Habitats: Disturbed soils, cliffs, balds, ledges, meadows, ridges, and
woodlands.
