Cudweeds, Everlastings & allies
What are they?
Although these species are all in the Aster family, they are a rather disparate bunch which are brought together more for convenience than anything else. These plants are mostly distinguished by having apparently petaless heads of small, tubular-shaped flowers.
Identification
Technical terms that it is useful to know when identifying this group are Phyllary, Ligule and Pappus. The phyllaries are the greenish outer part of the compound head of flowers; they can differ quite significantly between two, otherwise very similar, species and can thus be useful for identification. The ligule is the colored part of the flower that you or I would normally call a petal. In fact, each flower has five petals which are fused together at the base into a tube, then elongated out into a single, strap-like structure (the ligule). The pappus is the downy 'parachute' that carries the seed on the wind; these are best known as the 'clocks' of dandelions, so common on lawns in early summer.
Plantain-leaved Pussytoes Antennaria plantaginifolia
(Plantainleaf Everlasting) A fairly common species of established grassy areas, where it forms often extensive, low mats of leaves. The whole plant is covered in dense, white, woolly hairs. The fluffy clusters of white flowerheads give this species its English name. Can be found in many grassy areas where there isn't too much foot traffic, such as roadsides and cemeteries. Flowers April to June.
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Field Pussytoes Antennaria neglecta
(Field Cat's-foot) A common species of grassy areas, where it forms low mats of leaves. Can be found in many grassy areas where there isn't too much foot traffic, such as roadsides and cemeteries. Flowers April to June. The whole plant is covered in dense, white, woolly hairs. The fluffy clusters of white flowerheads give this species its English name.
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Sweet Everlasting Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
(Rabbit-tobacco) A densely woolly plant with papery white bracts around the flower heads. Distinctive clusters of upright stems with narrow, wavy-edged leaves. Widespread and very common in most dry habitats, especially roadsides, woodland edge and old fields. Flowers August to October.
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papery white phyllaries |
become more pointed |
underneath |
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| than stem leaves |
out flat |
Purplish Cudweed Gamochaeta purpurea
Widespread and quite common in dry, sandy soil of roadsides, fields and other open areas, including dune edges. A smaller plant than the other 'everlastings' so easily overlooked, but the pink-purple heads are distinctive when seen. Flowers May to July.
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| downy stems and pinkish-purple flowers |
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as seeds develop |
Saltmarsh Fleabane Pluchea odorata
Rather local but often common to abundant where it occurs, this is the species that carpets many wetland preserves with a blaze of pinkish-purple in late summer. As its name suggests, this species grows in saltmarsh habitats, being most common in areas that are predominantly freshwater but inundated periodically with saltwater. Flowers August to early October. Leaves with distinct petioles or at least narrowed at base.
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at base |
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Stinking Camphorweed Pluchea foetida
A rare plant of swampy ground, but may be found in large stands where it occurs. Flowers August to September. Best told from the much more common Saltmarsh Fleabane by the leaves, which have rounded bases without petioles.
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at base |
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Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
Introduced from Europe. May occasionally be found as a relic of cultivation or a garden escape. Flowers August to September.
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Canadian Fleabane Conyza canadensis
(Horseweed) A widespread and often abundant 'weed' of old farm fields, disturbed ground, gardens and all manner of open situations. This is a remarkably variable, yet usually readily recognisable, species. Although native to North America, Canadian Fleabane has become a cosmopolitan species around much of the world and its true native range is probably now obscure and impossible to define. Though variable, the small, petalless, tubular flowers are unlike any other plant in Cape May (but beware of closely-related alien introductions from South America). Two growth types occur: low plants that grow densely and carpet the ground with broad, open flowerheads and tall, stately individuals with narrowly pyramidal heads of flowering stems. Flowers July to October.
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| plants with four tall-growth types behind |
leaves and smooth stems |
leaves and hairy, grooved stems |
white ligules, and broader fruiting heads (left) |
Groundsel Senecio vulgaris
A very common, small annual weed of gardens, arable land and other areas of disturbed ground. Flowers mostly late March to October but may be found in flower in any month. The narrow, tubular heads of flowers are somewhat similar to those of American Burnweed, but the florets are yellow not whitish and the outer phyllaries have little black tips.
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American Burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolia
(Pilewort, Fireweed) As its English name suggests, this is a quick-growing adventive that is often one of the first species to grow on burned areas. American Burnweed is widespread in Cape May County on any type of disturbed ground and is particularly common in the impoverished and much altered habitats of Cape May Point State Park, where it is a classic coloniser of species-poor, secondary habitat. Flowers late July to October.
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and irregularly toothed |
silky white pappus |