Flower ID: IMG_4989.JPG-08-17-2020 Flower name (scientific): Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (Linnaeus) Hilliard & B. L. Burtt PY: 1981. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) soo-doh-naf-FAY-lee-um ob-too-sih-FOH-lee-um Flower name (common): Sweet Everlasting Family name (common): Aster Family name (scientific): Asteraceae Scientific name origin: Genus: False or pseudo Gnaphalium. Gnaphalium means soft-down, a plant with wooly leaves. Specific epithet: From the Latin for blunt and leaf, referring to the rounded leaf tips. Common name origin: Possibly from the fact that the cut and dried plants last for a long time. Flower description: Size: 0.2 to 0.3 inches (0.5 to 0.8 cm) Petal count: 0, ray florets absent. Color: yellow or brown or white Other: flower arrangement, Panicle Plant description: Size: 4 to 32 inches (10 to 81 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple Size: Leaves up to 10 cm long and 1 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, linear-lanceolate to elliptic or oblanceolate (FNA), linear-oblong (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon Bloom time (typical): July to October Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual/Biennial Habitat: Prairies, fields, open woods, disturbed areas, roadsides, sun, dry. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Besides Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium there are three other Pseudognaphalium species in Wisconsin with Pseudognaphalium macounii (Western Cudweed, Clammy Cudweed) having the closest resemblance to P. obtusifolium. There is also a hybrid between P. obtusifolium and P. macounii listed in the WF database. P. obtusifolium has white tomentose stems and approximately even-sized leaves about 2 to 10 mm wide, whereas P. macounii has greenish glandular stems and leaf blades approximately 3 to 13 mm wide. Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki employed this plant to revive consciousness. In the following references Smith uses the old synonym Gnaphalium polycephalum for this plant (Smith, pp. 214-215, 1928). The Menominee employed this plant as a sorcerer's medicine (Smith, p. 30, 1923). Latitude: 44.796010 Longitude: -91.513493 Altitude: 279.00 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (NB, NS, ON, PE, QC) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: Gnaphalium obtusifolium Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 851. 1753. Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): Not listed Wetland Status (MW): Not listed