Plantain-Leaved Pussytoes can be readily distinguished from Antennaria neglecta (Field Pussytoes) by its basal leaves. The latter has basal leaves that are single-veined and more narrow. Field Pussytoes is also more typical of open habitats, rather than woodland areas. Some authorities state that these plants are wind-pollinated, while others emphasize the role of insects in cross-pollination. Return

This native perennial plant is up to 6' tall (rarely taller), consisting of a basal rosette of leaves and an erect stem bearing the inflorescence. Species in this genus are dioecious, with individual plants bearing either staminate or pistallate flowers. The basal leaves are up to 4' long and 2' across. They have long petioles and are obovate (spoon-like) in shape, with smooth margins. There are 3-5 conspicuious veins on their upper surface, while their lower surface is densely hairly. The central stem is covered with numerous white hairs. Sparse alternate leaves clasp this stem, which are lanceolate and greatly reduced in size. At the apex is a small cluster of about 5-6 pistillate or staminate flowerheads. Each head is about ¼–½' long, and has a fluffy white appearance. There is no noticeable floral scent. The flowers are normally pollinated by wind or insects, but are also capable of self-pollination. The blooming period occurs during mid- to late spring and lasts about 3 weeks. The achenes develop into small brown nutlets with white resinous dots, to which small tufts of white hairs are attached. They are distributed by the wind. The flower-bearing part of the plant dies down during the summer, but the rosette of basal leaves persists. Occasionally, stolons emerge from the basal rosette that develop plantlets a short distance from the mother plant. There is a strong tendency to form colonies, sometimes consisting of all male or female plants. This is partly the result of vegetative reproduction, and partly the result of allelopathic chemicals that inhibit the germination and development of neighboring plants.

Plantain-Leaved Pussytoes has been reported in most of the counties in Illinois (see Distribution Map). This is a fairly common plant, although easy to overlook when it isn't in bloom. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, openings in upland forests, thickets, bluffs, limestone glades, pastures, and abandoned fields. It usually doesn't stray far from wooded habitats.

Antennaria caroliniana Rydb. ex Small:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Antennaria plantaginifolia var. plantaginifolia :
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Antennaria plantaginifolia var. petiolata (Fernald) A. Heller:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Antennaria nemoralis Greene:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Dioecious. Plants 6.5–20(–25) cm. Stolons 2.5–7.5 cm (mostly ascending when young). Basal leaves (petiolate) 3–5(–7)-nerved, obovate to suborbiculate, 35–75 × 15–35 mm, tips minutely mucronate, abaxially tomentose, adaxially green-glabrescent to gray-pubescent. Cauline leaves linear, 6.5–35 mm, distal flagged. Heads 4–17(–30) in tight corymbiform arrays. Involucres: staminate 5–7(–8) mm; pistillate 5–7 mm. Phyllaries distally white. Corollas: staminate 2–3.5 mm; pistillate 3–4 mm. Cypselae 0.5–1.6 mm, slightly papillate; pappi: staminate 2.5–4 mm; pistillate 3.5–5.5 mm. 2n = 28.

Gnaphalium plantaginifolium Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 850. 1753; Antennaria caroliniana Rydberg; A. decipiens Greene; A. denikeana B. Boivin; A. nemoralis Greene; A. pinetorum Greene; A. plantaginifolia var. petiolata (Fernald) A. Heller

Holotype for Antennaria pinetorum Greene
Catalog Number: US 355635
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): T. H. Kearney
Year Collected: 1898
Locality: Near Norfolk., Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, North America

Type collection for Antennaria nemoralis Greene
Catalog Number: US 345777
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): A. Ruth
Year Collected: 1898
Locality: Knoxville., Tennessee, United States, North America

Plantain-Leaved Pussytoes has been reported in most of the counties in Illinois (see Distribution Map). This is a fairly common plant, although easy to overlook when it isn't in bloom. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, openings in upland forests, thickets, bluffs, limestone glades, pastures, and abandoned fields. It usually doesn't stray far from wooded habitats.

The flowers are visited primarily by small bees and flies. Among the bees, this includes Andrenid bees, Halictid bees, and Nomadine Cuckoo bees. Fly visitors consist primarily of Syrphid flies, and to a lesser extent Flesh flies, Blow flies, Muscid flies, and others. The caterpillars of the butterfly Vanessa virginiensis (American Painted Lady) feed on the foliage. To a limited extent, the Bobwhite eats the seeds, while the White-Tailed Deer and Cottontail Rabbit browse on the foliage.

Antennaria plantaginifolia (Plantain-Leaved Pussytoes)
(on staminate flowers, Halictid bees suck nectar or collect pollen, while beetles feed on pollen, as indicated below; other insects suck only nectar on staminate flowers; on pistillate flowers, all insects suck nectar; insect activity is unspecified when the flower gender is unknown; depending on the authority, this plant is either insect- or wind-pollinated; Antennaria parlinii & Antennaria fallax of some authors can be considered varieties of Plantain-Leaved Pussytoes; most observations are from Robertson, otherwise they are from Moure & Hurd, Evans, and MacRae as indicated below)

On staminate flowers:

Bees (long-tongued)
Apidae (Apinae): Apis mellifera sn; Apidae (Bombini): Bombus pensylvanica sn; Anthophoridae (Ceratinini): Ceratina calcarata sn, Ceratina dupla dupla sn fq; Anthophoridae (Nomadini): Nomada cressonii sn, Nomada ovatus sn fq, Nomada sayi sn fq; Megachilidae (Osmiini): Osmia pumila sn

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Augochlorella aurata sn cp fq, Augochlorella striata sn fq, Halictus confusus sn cp fq, Halictus ligatus sn cp fq, Halictus rubicunda sn fq, Lasioglossum foxii sn cp, Lasioglossum imitatus sn cp fq, Lasioglossum pilosus pilosus sn cp, Lasioglossum versatus sn cp fq, Lasioglossum zephyrus sn; Halictidae (Sphecodini): Sphecodes antennariae sn, Sphecodes minor sn; Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena andrenoides andrenoides sn, Andrena imitatrix imitatrix sn

Flies
Syrphidae: Eristalinus aeneus, Orthonevra nitida, Paragus tibialis, Platycheirus hyperboreus, Platycheirus quadratus, Sphaerophoria contiqua fq, Toxomerus geminatus, Toxomerus marginatus fq icp; Empidae: Empis otiosa, Rhamphomyia priapulus; Sarcophagidae: Amobia aurifrons, Helicobia rapax, Ravinia anxia; Calliphoridae: Cynomya cadaverina, Lucilia illustris, Lucilia sericata; Muscidae: Limnophora narona, Morellia micans, Neomyia cornicina; Chloropidae: Diplotoxa versicolor; Anthomyiidae: Delia platura

Butterflies
Nymphalidae: Vanessa virginiensis; Lycaenidae: Celastrina argiolus; Pieridae: Colias philodice

Skippers
Hesperiidae: Erynnis juvenalis

Moths
Noctuidae: Caenurgina erechtea

Beetles
Dermestidae: Anthrenus scrophulariae fp; Oedemeridae: Asclera ruficollis fp

On pistillate flowers:

Bees (long-tongued)
Apidae (Apinae): Apis mellifera; Anthophoridae (Ceratinini): Ceratina calcarata, Ceratina dupla dupla fq; Anthophoridae (Nomadini): Nomada integerrima, Nomada luteola, Nomada obliterata, Nomada ovatus fq, Nomada sayi fq

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Augochlorella aurata fq, Augochlorella striata fq, Halictus confusus fq, Halictus ligatus fq, Halictus rubicunda fq; Lasioglossum cinctipes, Lasioglossum imitatus fq, Lasioglossum pectoralis, Lasioglossum pilosus pilosus, Lasioglossum pruinosus, Lasioglossum versatus fq, Lasioglossum zephyrus; Halictidae (Sphecodini): Sphecodes cressonii, Sphecodes minor; Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena andrenoides andrenoides, Andrena erythrogaster, Andrena forbesii, Andrena illinoiensis, Andrena imitatrix imitatrix, Andrena miserabilis bipunctata, Andrena nigrae, Andrena salictaria fq, Andrena sayi

Wasps
Chrysididae: Chrysura pacifica

Flies
Syrphidae: Paragus bicolor, Sphaerophoria contiqua fq, Toxomerus marginatus fq icp; Empidae: Rhamphomyia priapulus; Bombyliidae: Bombylius major; Tachinidae: Chetogena claripennis; Calliphoridae: Lucilia illustris, Lucilia sericata; Muscidae: Neomyia cornicina; Anthomyiidae: Delia platura; Fanniidae: Fannia manicata

Butterflies
Lycaenidae: Celastrina argiolus; Pieridae: Colias philodice

Skippers
Hesperiidae: Erynnis brizo

Flower gender unspecified:

Bees (long-tongued)
Anthophoridae (Ceratinini): Ceratina dupla dupla (Ev)

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Augochlorella persimilis (MH), Augochlorella striata (MH), Halictus confusus (Ev, MH), Halictus ligatus (MH), Halictus rubicunda (Ev, MH), Lasioglossum cinctipes (MH), Lasioglossum coriaceus (Ev), Lasioglossum foxii (MH), Lasioglossum imitatus (MH), Lasioglossum pectoralis (Ev, MH), Lasioglossum pilosus pilosus (Ev, MH), Lasioglossum pruinosus (MH), Lasioglossum versatus (MH), Lasioglossum zephyrus (MH); Halictidae (Sphecodini): Sphecodes antennariae (MH), Sphecodes cressonii (MH), Sphecodes minor (MH) Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena crataegi (Ev)

Beetles
Buprestidae: Acmaeodera neglecta (McR)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

The preference is full or partial sun, and average to dry conditions. This plant often flourishes in poor soil, which can contain sand, rocky material, or clay. This is because there is less competion from taller plants. The new growth during the spring doesn't persist long enough to be bothered by disease, although the semi-evergreen basal leaves often become discolored and withered.

Antennaria plantaginifolia is a diploid progenitor of the A. parlinii complex and is similar to that species except for smaller heads and adaxially gray-pubescent basal leaves (R. J. Bayer and G. L. Stebbins 1982; Bayer 1985b; Bayer and D. J. Crawford 1986). It is a diploid ancestor of the A. howellii complex. It is found in the Appalachian region; disjunct populations occur in the driftless area of Wisconsin and Minnesota (Bayer and Stebbins).