Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans
Photo: parent species Antennaria luzuloides · (c) J Straka, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by narrow leaves and small heads in raceme-like clusters.
Rosy pussytoes is a California native perennial found in the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau in moist open areas and meadows within montane forest at elevations around 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white flowers in compact clusters of 10 to 30 heads. Growing with delicate stems up to several dozen centimeters tall, it forms low-growing clumps in alpine and subalpine environments. Its basal leaves are distinctively narrow and linear, measuring 1 to 5 millimeters wide, creating a fine, grass-like appearance. The small flowers have pistillate corollas 2 to 2.5 millimeters long, topped with a soft, feathery pappus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species - narrow leaves and small heads in raceme-like clusters
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist open areas, meadows in montane forest
Elevation: +- 1500 m.
Outside California: to Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Pseudognaphalium: Antennaria forms low cushions with persistent basal rosettes; Pseudognaphalium grows erect to 200 cm without basal rosettes.; vs Eriogonum: Antennaria has papery-bracted flower heads in the Asteraceae; Eriogonum has showy flowers with papery bracts in the buckwheat family.; vs Anaphalis: Antennaria maintains its basal leaf rosette during flowering; Anaphalis has withered basal leaves with longer, uniform stem leaves.; vs Centaurea: Antennaria has tiny woolly heads (3-9mm) in low cushions; Centaurea has much larger flower heads (15-40mm) on tall stems.; vs Petrophytum: Antennaria has papery-bracted flower heads; Petrophytum has dense spikes of small rose-family flowers with 5 separate petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans native to California?
Yes. Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans bloom?
Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans belong to?
Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans is in the Asteraceae family, genus Antennaria.
What habitat does Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans grow in?
Antennaria luzuloides subsp. aberrans grows in Moist open areas, meadows in montane forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.