Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Fragrant Rabbit-tobacco - Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium   (L.) Hilliard & Burtt
Members of Asteraceae:
Members of Pseudognaphalium with account distribution info or public map:
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Section 6 » Order Asterales » Family Asteraceae
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Author(L.) Hilliard & Burtt
DistributionThroughout the state, including the Outer Banks. Among the most widespread of NC plants.

Newf. to Ont., south to FL and TX.
AbundanceGenerally common to very common, even locally abundant, throughout.
HabitatDry open areas of a wide variety: roadsides, trailsides, fields, powerlines, yards, clearcuts, open woodlands, glades, rock outcrops, woodland margins, forest margins, openings in maritime forests. Seldom found under appreciable shade.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting August-October.
IdentificationFragrant Rabbit-tobacco is a very familiar plant that grows 1-3 feet tall, the stems white with short cottony hairs. Leaves are narrow, lance-shape, without stalks, green above and white with short cottony hairs beneath. The inflorescence is dome-shaped or sometimes rather flat-topped. Heads are roundish or ovate and whitened with hairs. Heller's Rabbit-tobacco (P. helleri) and Delicate Rabbit-tobacco (P. micradenium) have much duller, less white hairs that are mixed with stalked glands, and are essentially restricted to the Piedmont. If in doubt, squeeze the stem; if sticky, it is one of the two scarce Piedmont species. These species also have greenish colored stems, not whitish.
Taxonomic CommentsFormerly named as Gnaphalium obtusifolium.

Other Common Name(s)Rabbit-tobacco, Sweet Everlasting, Old Field Balsam, Eastern Rabbit-tobacco, Fragrant Cudweed
State RankS5
Global RankG5
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