Low Pussytoes
Antennaria dimorpha
Aster family (Asteraceae)

Antennaria dimorpha produces distinctive silver-green patches of tiny leaves surmounted (barely) by numerous flowers, each on its own stem. The plant grows to just one or two inches tall, but it commonly spreads over several square feet and where it finds suitable habitat, it may be found in numerous patches. It is often seen as a large ring when the older, center portions of the plant die back. The plant is dioecious, i.e., male flowers grow on one mat of plants and female flowers on another. In fact, "dimorpha" is Greek for "two" or "separate," "parts" or "forms" --referring to the two different plants -- female and male.

Description

Perennial herb, up to 2" tall, forming dense mats or rings. Leaves, up to 1" long, broader at the tip, gray-green with short fine hair. Plants have either male or female flowers. The latter are long and narrow, showing overlapping green bracts with dark patches. Male flowers are hemispheric and typically brown.

Field Marks

Sunflower family plant forming very low mats or rings, each bearing only male or female flowers.

© Al Schneider