BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Antennaria parvifolia | Littleleaf Pussytoes 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Littleleaf pussytoes is a stoloniferous, mat-forming, perennial forb.
Stems are 1.2 to 6.0 inches (3-15 cm) tall.  Leaves are simple,
alternate, and mostly basal.  Cauline leaves are reduced upwards.  The
inflorescence is a large, closely aggregated cyme with two to six heads.
The fruit is a small achene [9,10,11,20].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Littleleaf pussytoes reproduces from seed or spreads vegetatively
through stolons.  Seeds of pussytoes (Antennaria spp.) are light
and wind dispersed.  They are generally not stored in soil seedbanks
[16].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Littleleaf pussytoes is found on open plains and prairie, in open
forests, dry meadows, and pastures, and along roadsides [6,9,10,13].
Littleleaf pussytoes exhibits good growth on gentle slopes, but does not
grow well on steep slopes.  It grows best on loam-, clayey loam-, and
clay-textured soils.  Growth is poor on gravel, sand, and dense clay.
It occurs at the following elevations [5]:

                feet            meters

     CO     5,000-12,000     1,500-3,600
     MT     3,300- 6,000     1,000-1,800
     UT     5,400-10,700     1,650-3,250
     WY     4,300- 8,400     1,300-2,500.     


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Littleleaf pussytoes' matted growth form enables it to survive
disturbance [22].  Other descriptions of its place in plant succession
were not found in the literature.


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Littleleaf pussytoes flowers from May to July [4,9].

Related categories for Species: Antennaria parvifolia | Littleleaf Pussytoes