1. Anaphalis
margaritacea (L.) Benth. ex C.B. Clarke. (pearly everlasting)
Pl. 293 a–d; Map
1131
Plants
perennial, incompletely dioecious, often branched, with rhizomes. Stems 25–80
cm long, erect or ascending, densely woolly, the hairs sometimes becoming
thinner or reddish tan (rusty) with age. Basal leaves usually absent at
flowering, not noticeably larger than the lower stem leaves. Stem leaves
numerous, sessile, 2–12 cm long, linear to elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate,
bluntly to sharply pointed at the tip, sometimes slightly expanded and clasping
at the base, the margins entire and sometimes curled under, both surfaces
densely white-woolly, the upper surface sometimes becoming nearly glabrous with
age. Inflorescences rounded to more or less flat-topped, often relatively dense
panicles, the individual heads mostly short-stalked. Heads with all staminate
or mostly pistillate florets, the pistillate heads usually with 2–4 staminate
central florets. Involucre 5–8 mm long, broadly ovoid to cup-shaped, the bracts
in 7–12 overlapping series, mostly loosely appressed when young, spreading with
age or upon drying, lanceolate to ovate, mostly bluntly pointed at the tip,
woolly at the base, bright white (sometimes darker at the base), usually
slightly shiny. Receptacle flat or somewhat convex, naked. Corollas 3.5–4.5 mm
long, yellow to greenish yellow. Pappus of numerous capillary bristles, these
free and shed individually, minutely toothed. Fruits 0.7–1.0 mm long, narrowly
ellipsoid-obovoid, strongly flattened, the surface appearing pebbled or
roughened with minute papillae, brown to olive brown. 2n=28. July–September.
Introduced,
uncommon, known thus far only from Boone and St. Louis
Counties (native of the western and
northern U.S. south to Virginia, Nebraska, Arizona, and California;
Canada, Asia; introduced
sporadically farther southeast in the U.S.). Bases of bluffs and
disturbed openings of mesic upland forests.
This species is
cultivated as an ornamental in gardens and is popular both as a fresh-cut
flower and in dried flower arrangements. Native Americans used the plants
medicinally for a variety of treatments, including headaches, tuberculosis,
colds, coughs, infections, and so on, and also in various religious ceremonies
(Moerman, 1998).