Antennaria rosea
Encyclopedia
Antennaria rosea is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name rosy pussytoes. It is native to much of North America, including most of Canada and the western United States. It is a plant of many habitats, from dry to wet climates and low elevation to very high. It is a very morphologically
diverse species; individuals can look very different. It is polyploid and exhibits apomixis
; most all the plants are female and they reproduce asexually
. This is a perennial herb which grows to heights anywhere between about 10 and 40 centimeters. It has a network of short stolon
s by which it spreads, its method of vegetative reproduction
. It forms a basal patch of woolly grayish leaves 1 to 4 centimeters long. The inflorescence
contains several flower heads
in a cluster. Each head is lined with wide, pointed phyllaries
which are often rose in color, the trait that gives the species its name, but they may also be white, yellowish, or brownish. The species is dioecious
, but since most of the individuals are female, most bear flower heads containing pistillate
flowers. The fruit is an achene
with a body less than 2 millimeters long and a pappus
which may be 6 or 7 millimeters long. The plant often produces fertile seeds, but most individuals in most populations are clones. Plants are sometimes fertilized with pollen
from other Antennaria species, which may bring new genes into an A. rosea population, increasing the genetic diversity
amongst the clones.
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 rosy pussytoes. It is native to much of North America, including most of Canada and the western United States. It is a plant of many habitats, from dry to wet climates and low elevation to very high. It is a very morphologically
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
diverse species; individuals can look very different. It is polyploid and exhibits apomixis
Apomixis
In botany, apomixis was defined by Winkler as replacement of the normal sexual reproduction by asexual reproduction, without fertilization. This definition notably does not mention meiosis...
; most all the plants are female and they reproduce asexually
Asexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction by which offspring arise from a single parent, and inherit the genes of that parent only, it is reproduction which does not involve meiosis, ploidy reduction, or fertilization. A more stringent definition is agamogenesis which is reproduction without...
. This is a perennial herb which grows to heights anywhere between about 10 and 40 centimeters. It has a network of short stolon
Stolon
In biology, stolons are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external skeletons.-In botany:...
s by which it spreads, its method of vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction is a form of asexual reproduction in plants. It is a process by which new individuals arise without production of seeds or spores...
. It forms a basal patch of woolly grayish leaves 1 to 4 centimeters long. 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...
contains 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....
in a cluster. Each head is lined with wide, 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...
which are often rose in color, the trait that gives the species its name, but they may also be white, yellowish, or brownish. 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....
, but since most of the individuals are female, most bear flower heads containing pistillate
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
flowers. 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...
with a body less than 2 millimeters long and a 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...
which may be 6 or 7 millimeters long. The plant often produces fertile seeds, but most individuals in most populations are clones. Plants are sometimes fertilized with pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
from other Antennaria species, which may bring new genes into an A. rosea population, increasing the genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary....
amongst the clones.