Rose pussytoes may be distinguished from all the other species of Antcnnwia 

 by the following characters : The flower heads are arranged in dense clusters at 

 the top of stems which far exceed the group of basal leaves in height ; the 

 bracts at the base of the flower head are rose colored, and the leaves are 

 narrowly reverse lance-shaped. 



PUSSYTOES (Antenna'ria spp.) 



Pussytoes, often known as catsfoot, catspaws, and everlasting, is a genus of 

 woolly, perennial herbs well represented in the West where about 50 species 

 occur. The genus is a member of the everlasting tribe (Gnaphalieae) of the 

 large aster, or composite, family (Asteraceae or Compositae). Everlasting is the 

 common name used popularly in the West for these plants and has been applied, 

 undoubtedly, because of the resemblance of the pussytoes to the true ever- 

 lastings, which include the French immortelles (genera Helipterum and Heli- 

 clirysum of Africa and Australia). The bracts of the flower heads in these 

 genera, as well as of the related genera Ammobwm and Anaptialis, are persistent 

 and often white or brightly colored, hence, in popular understanding, the flowers 

 are "everlasting". The pussytoes are found, to a greater or less extent, on 

 nearly all the western ranges, but, as a rule, are not especially abundant. How- 

 ever, on severely overgrazed ranges, they are sometimes abundant and, though 

 rarely, may even be the dominant herbaceous plants. 



Except for the fact that their flower heads are sometimes cropped by sheep, 

 most of the pussytoes are practically worthless as forage. This is particularly 

 true of the rosette-forming species with the flower heads in rather dense clusters, 

 as typified by rose pussytoes. A few species having basal rosettes of leaves but 

 with the flower heads somewhat scattered along the stem and with the upper 

 surfaces of the leaves free of hairs, are grazed slightly more than the species 

 of the rose pussytoes type. Raceme pussytoes (A. racemosa) is characteristic of 

 such species. Certain other relatively tall species, such as showy pussytoes ('A. 

 pulcherrima) , in which the basal rosettes of leaves are absent, have their 

 herbage cropped to some extent but probably are never better than fair forage. 

 The somewhat higher palatability of these species may be due to the fact that 

 they are taller, with the larger leaves borne on the stems so that the foliage 

 is more easily available to grazing animals. 



In this genus the sexes are distinct, male and female flowers being borne on 

 separate plants. The seed-producing, or female plants, are much more common 

 than the pollen-producing, or male plants. In some species viable seed is pro- 

 duced without pollination. Both the male and female flowers are very small and 

 are borne in heads having the appearance of a single flower. The flowers also 

 bear a copious supply of white bristles (pappus) which, in the female flowers, are 

 united at the base and fall from the "seed" together. The pappus of the male 

 flowers is sometimes barbed or has somewhat knoblike tips and the fancied 

 resemblance of these bristles to the antennae of certain insects suggested the 

 generic name Antennaria. The comparatively large, several-rowed bracts 

 enveloping the small flower heads are the most conspicuous part of the flower 

 heads; they usually have white, brown, pink, or rose-colored tips. These 

 bracts persist long after the true flowers have completed their growth and fallen. 

 The leaves are alternate, entire, and rather narrow, varying in the different 

 species from linear to spatula-shaped. The stems, the lower half of the flower 

 head bracts, and at least the lower surface of the leaves are densely hairy. 



The only common range plants with which the pussytoes are likely to be 

 confused are pearl everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea and its varieties), the 

 cudweeds (Gnaphalium spp.), and those species of eriogonum (Eriogonum spp.) 

 whose basal leaves form rosettes or mats. Pearl everlasting and the cudweeds 

 are close relatives of pussytoes and have small flower heads with conspicuous, 

 white or colored persistent bracts. Basal leaves are lacking in pearl everlasting, 

 and the stems are very leafy, but the stems of pussytoes are seldom very leafy 

 and in most species rosettes of basal leaves are present. The cudweeds also 

 Ijick the rosettes of basal leaves and ordinarily have multibranched stems ; the 

 stems of pussytoes usually are unbranched. Although the flowers of the 

 eriogonums are small and are borne in bracted clusters, the bracts are neither 

 brightly colored nor persistent, the flower clusters of most species are umbrella- 

 shaped and the stems, or flower stalks, are mostly leafless or with few leaves. 



