Anaphalis margaritacea

Anaphalis margaritacea
Close-up photo of the capitula

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Anaphalis
Species: A. margaritacea
Binomial name
Anaphalis margaritacea
(L.) Benth. & Hook.f. (1873)

Sources: NatureServe,[1] IPNI,[2] GRIN[3]

Synonyms[4]

Anaphalis margaritacea, commonly known as the western pearly everlasting[5] or pearly everlasting,[6] is an Asian and North American species of flowering perennial plant in the sunflower family. It is widespread across most of the United States and Canada, as well as northwestern Mexico.[7][8] Asian populations are found in China, the Russian Far East, Japan, Korea, northern Indochina, and the Himalayas.[9] The species is reportedly naturalized in Europe though not native there.

Anaphalis margaritacea grows erect up to about 1.2 meters[10] and has narrow, alternate leaves. One salient feature is that the undersides of the leaves are covered in tiny hairs, giving them a woolly feel and appearance. The stems are dry and brittle. The small whitish to yellowish flower grows in a corymb inflorescence. The inflorescence's most conspicuous part is the numerous white bracts that surround the disc florets.[7]

The plant is dioecious, meaning the pollen-producing (male) and seed-producing (female) flowers are borne on separate plants. It prefers dry, sunny climates, although it is hardy to temperatures well below freezing. The leaves and young plants are edible when cooked.[11]

The leaves are host to the caterpillars of the American painted lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis).[12]

Varieties and subspecies[4]

References

  1. NatureServe (2006), "Anaphalis margaritacea", NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life, Version 6.1., Arlington, Virginia
  2. International Organization for Plant Information (IOPI). "Plant Name Search Results" (HTML). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  3. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) (1999-12-19). "Taxon: Anaphalis margaritacea (L.) Benth. & Hook. f.". Taxonomy for Plants. USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program, National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  4. 1 2 The Plant List Anaphalis margaritacea (L.) Benth. & Hook.f.
  5. "Anaphalis margaritacea". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  6. "BSBI List 2007" (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  7. 1 2 Nesom, Guy L. (2006), "Anaphalis margaritacea", in Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+, Flora of North America, 19, New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 427
  8. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  9. "Anaphalis margaritacea". Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden via eFloras.org.
  10. C. Michael Hogan (2010). "Anaphalis margaritacea". Encyclopedia of Life.
  11. "Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)".
  12. "Vanessa virginiensis". Butterflies and Moths of North America.

External links

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