Antennaria corymbosa
Encyclopedia
Antennaria corymbosa is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name flat-top pussytoes. It is native to parts of northwestern North America from central Canada to California
to Colorado
, where it grows in moist, cool areas such as mountain meadows and riverbanks. This is a small perennial herb growing from a basal patch of thin, gray, woolly, spoon-shaped leaves one or two centimeters long. It produces several erect stems no more than 15 centimeters tall, each holding an inflorescence
of several flower heads
. It is dioecious
, with male and female plants producing different types of flower heads, which are generally similar in appearance. Each head has a surface of dark-dotted white phyllaries
and contains tiny individual flowers. Female flowers yield fruits which are achene
s no more than a millimeter long, not counting the soft pappus
of 3 or 4 millimeters.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name flat-top pussytoes. It is native to parts of northwestern North America from central Canada to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, where it grows in moist, cool areas such as mountain meadows and riverbanks. This is a small perennial herb growing from a basal patch of thin, gray, woolly, spoon-shaped leaves one or two centimeters long. It produces several erect stems no more than 15 centimeters tall, each holding an inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
of several flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
. It is dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with male and female plants producing different types of flower heads, which are generally similar in appearance. Each head has a surface of dark-dotted white phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
and contains tiny individual flowers. Female flowers yield fruits which are achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
s no more than a millimeter long, not counting the soft pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of 3 or 4 millimeters.