rabbit-tobaccos

genus Pseudognaphalium

Member of paper daisies (tribe Gnaphalieae)
sunflower family (family Asteraceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

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I need to re-evaluate all of my observations now that I have some idea what to look for.

Each head is composed of only disc flowers surrounded by ± white phyllaries. Staminate or bisexual flowers are at the center surrounded by a larger number of peripheral pistillate flowers.

The involucre is cylindric to generally urn-shaped. Compare to pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea).

Key features:

• stem stalked-glandular or not, glabrous or proximally glabrous or ± tomentose
• leaf clasping or not, decurrent or not, tomentose or glandular or not on each leaf face, flat or wavy
• inflorescence shape
• head shape and colors

cottonbatting plant
Pseudognaphalium stramineum

• stem not glandular, loosely to densely tomentose
• leaves ± crowded
• leaf base ± clasping, generally not decurrent
• leaf faces loosely persistently gray-tomentose, not glandular
• leaf flat or margin slightly curled under
• inflorescence dense, 1–2 cm diam or ± cyme-like
• peripheral corolla evenly yellow [?]
• common

feltleaf everlasting
Pseudognaphalium microcephalum

• stem not glandular, tomentose
• leaves crowded or not
• leaf base clasping or not, decurrent 3–10 mm or not
• leaf opposing faces weakly contrasting in color, tomentose, adaxial less densely so, not glandular
• leaf flat
• inflorescence loose, flat-topped to panicle-like cluster
• narrow heads
• phyllaries in 4–6 series
• disk flowers 5–9
• stem 3–5 mm diam near base
• “Characterized by stems commonly stiffly erect and slightly zigzag distally, relatively thick (3–5 mm diam near base), and closely gray-tomentose, leaves oblanceolate, sessile, sometimes clasping, not decurrent, and weakly 2-colored.”
• rare

wright’s cudweed
Pseudognaphalium canescens

• stem not glandular, persistently tomentose
• leaves not crowded?
• leaf base not clasping, not decurrent
• leaf opposing faces weakly contrasting in color, tomentose, adaxial less densely so, occasionally also sessile-glandular
• leaf flat
• inflorescence generally loose, rounded to ± flat-topped
• phyllaries in 3–4 series
• disk flowers 2–5
• stem 2–3 mm diam near base
• rare

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4 observed taxons / 4 unobserved taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 40 (28 are research grade)

Locations:

• Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve: 7
• Big Basin SP: 5
• Henry Coe SP: 4
• Almaden Quicksilver CP: 2
• Bear Creek Redwoods OSP: 2
• Castle Rock SP: 2
• Russian Ridge OSP: 2
• San Bruno Mountain State & County Park: 2
• Fremont Older OSP
• Garrapata SP
• Mt. Madonna SP
• San Pedro Valley CP
• Sanborn CP
• Sibley Volcanic RP
• Sierra Azul OSP
• Sierra Vista OSP
• Skyline Ridge OSP
• Stevens Creek CP
• Sweeney Ridge National Recreation Area
• Waterdog Lake & Open Space
• Windy Hill OSP
• Wunderlich CP

Months:

• Mar.: 1
• Apr.: 6
• May: 5
• Jun.: 10
• Jul.: 10
• Aug.: 4
• Sep.: 2
• Oct.: 0
• Nov.: 1
• Dec.: 1

For more details, use advanced search.

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora