Antennaria microphylla
Littleleaf pussytoes
(c) Lindsey K. Wise, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Antennaria microphylla (Littleleaf pussytoes) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by stalked-glandular stems and silvery leaves.
Littleleaf pussytoes is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, and southeastern Sierra Nevada in dry meadows at elevations of 2,500 to 3,250 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white to pale yellow flowers in compact heads 6 to 13 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 9 to 30 centimeters tall that have stalked-glandular upper portions and develop short stolons, it forms delicate clumps in alpine meadows. Its basal leaves are spoon-shaped, 6 to 16 millimeters long, and covered in silvery hairs, while the stem leaves are narrow and linear. The plant produces small fruits 0.7 to 1.2 millimeters long, with distinctive white to pale yellow phyllaries that give the flower heads a soft, silvery appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species - stalked-glandular stems and silvery leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry meadows
Elevation: 2500-3250 m
Outside California: to Alaska, northern Canada, Minnesota, New Brunswick, New Mexico
Bloom period
Antennaria microphylla blooms Jun-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 microphylla native to California?
Yes. Antennaria microphylla is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Antennaria microphylla bloom?
Antennaria microphylla blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Antennaria microphylla belong to?
Antennaria microphylla is in the Asteraceae family, genus Antennaria.
What habitat does Antennaria microphylla grow in?
Antennaria microphylla grows in dry meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.