Antennaria umbrinella
Brown pussytoes
(c) Patrick Standish, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Antennaria umbrinella (Brown pussytoes) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by pale yellow-brown phyllaries and woody ascending stolons.
Brown pussytoes is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada and White and Inyo Mountains in dry sagebrush scrub and open yellow-pine forest at elevations of 1,800 to 3,900 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces pale yellow to pale brown flowers in heads 3 to 8, arranged in a cyme-like formation. Growing with stems 7 to 16 centimeters tall that have a slightly woody base and ascending stolons, it has a compact growth habit. Its basal leaves are spoon- to wedge-shaped, 10 to 17 millimeters long, and covered in a gray tomentose surface, giving the plant a soft, silvery appearance. The plant develops slender stolons and has narrow, acute phyllaries that contribute to its distinctive woodland meadow aesthetic.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species - pale yellow-brown phyllaries and woody ascending stolons
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry sagebrush scrub, open yellow-pine forest
Elevation: 1800-3900 m
Outside California: to southwestern Canada, Montana, Colorado, Arizona
Bloom period
Antennaria umbrinella blooms May-Aug.
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 umbrinella native to California?
Yes. Antennaria umbrinella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Antennaria umbrinella bloom?
Antennaria umbrinella blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Antennaria umbrinella belong to?
Antennaria umbrinella is in the Asteraceae family, genus Antennaria.
What habitat does Antennaria umbrinella grow in?
Antennaria umbrinella grows in Uncommon. Dry sagebrush scrub, open yellow-pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Antennaria argentea — Silver pussytoes
- Antennaria corymbosa — Flat top pussytoes
- Antennaria dimorpha — Gray cushion pussytoes
- Antennaria flagellaris — Stoloniferous pussy-toes
- Antennaria geyeri — Geyer's pussytoes
- Antennaria howellii subsp. howellii
- Anthemis arvensis — Corn chamomile
- Anthemis cotula — Mayweed
- Anthemis sp. — Dog-fennel
- Arctium lappa — Great burdock
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.