Antennaria luzuloides
Encyclopedia
Antennaria luzuloides is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name rush pussytoes. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to California
to Colorado
, where it grows in dry areas, particularly sagebrush
scrub. This is a perennial herb growing greenish white or gray erect stems from a small woody caudex
. It reaches a maximum height of about 25 centimeters. There is a basal patch of grayish woolly leaves each a few centimeters long and linear in shape to somewhat spoon-shaped. The inflorescence
holds up to 30 rounded flower heads
each less than a centimeter wide. The head is lined with narrow, pointed phyllaries
. The species is dioecious
, with male and female plants producing different flower types. The fruit is an achene
up to about 6 millimeters in length including a long, soft pappus
.
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 rush pussytoes. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
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 dry areas, particularly sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
scrub. This is a perennial herb growing greenish white or gray erect stems from a small woody caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
. It reaches a maximum height of about 25 centimeters. There is a basal patch of grayish woolly leaves each a few centimeters long and linear in shape to somewhat spoon-shaped. The 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...
holds up to 30 rounded flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
each less than a centimeter wide. The head is lined with narrow, pointed 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...
. The species 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 flower types. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
up to about 6 millimeters in length including a long, 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...
.