May 11, 2018  Lady's Tobacco/Pussytoes  Antennaria plantaginifolia  

A comment about the importance of Latin names.  Ellen Schwartz, docent extraordinaire, was sure the photo called "Lady's Tobacco" was misidentified. She was sure it is Pussy Toes.  Well, everyone is right, both common names are used, but the LATIN name, Antennaria plantaginifolia, is the same; thus, we are all talking about the same plant. Whew!

The name Antennaria means: Like an insect's antennae (the sterile pappus). Timothy Coffey's Wildflowers lists not only Lady's -Tobacco as a common name, but also Immortelle (P.Q.), Indian-Tobacco (Maine).  

But, I sputter, I know Indian Tobacco from my lists of plants I have identified on Peck Road in Maplecrest, N.Y. in the Catskills. And I'm sure it has a different Latin name.  Yes, it is Lobelia inflata. Too bad that one isn't in the NPG because there is a  three column entry about the history and lore in Coffey.

Pussytoes/Lady's Tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia

Uva, Neal and DiTomaso in Weeds of the Northeast describe Pussytoes (they agree with you, Ellen in their choice of common name) as having white-woolly foliage but are stoloniferous perennials with leafless stems arising from basal rosettes. They are also distinguished by their soft white flower heads that are aggregated into conspicuous tight clusters, giving the impression of a cat's toes.

Peterson's Wildflowers calls this plant Plantain-leaved Pussytoes and says Ântennaria are a confusing group, disputed by specialists. Gray recognizes 32 species in our area, Britton and Brown (Gleason) only 6. 
Height: 3 to 16 inches. 
Habitat: Dry soil, woods, pastures. 
Blooming: April-June