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- Pseudognaphalium macounii
Pseudognaphalium macounii — Macoun's rabbit-tobacco
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Facts
Macoun's rabbit-tobacco is an annual or biennial with a sweet smell. The Miwok used this species internally to treat colds and stomach ache and externally as a poultice to reduce swelling.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
 
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- 
                                
                                    - alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
 
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 30–100 mm
- Disk flower number
- more than 50
- 
                        Flowers- Bract color
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with with pink, red or purple
 - Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
 - Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
 - Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
 - Bract shape
- 
                                
                                    - the main bracts are oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- the main bracts are ovate (egg-shaped)
 
 - Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
 - Bract texture
- 
                                
                                    - the bracts appear thin, flexible and nearly translucent
- the bracts have a similar texture to a leaf
 
 - Bract tip color
- the tips are the same color as the center of the bract
 - Bract tip extension appearance
- NA
 - Bract tip extension edge
- NA
 - Bract tip shape
- 
                                
                                    - the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
- the tips of the bracts are rounded
 
 - Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
 - Disk flower color
- yellow
 - Disk flower number
- more than 50
 - Disk flower reproductive parts
- 
                                
                                    - the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- the disk flower has either only pollen- or only seed-producing parts
 
 - Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
 - Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
 - Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, the flowers have no enlarged lobe or strap, and are of similar size as those in the center of the disk
 - Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
 - Flower head platform surface
- NA
 - Flower head position
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
 - Flower head profile
- 
                                
                                    - the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
 
 - Flower head shape
- 
                                
                                    - the flower head is shaped like a cone with the point up
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
 
 - Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
 - Height of flower head base
- 4.5–5.5 mm
 - Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
 - Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
 - Inflorescence stem
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
 - Ovary cross-section
- 
                                
                                    - the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
 
 - Ovary hair type
- the ovary has no hairs on it
 - Ovary hairs
- the ovary has no hairs on it
 - Ovary lines or ribs
- there are no lines or ribs visible on the ovary
 - Ovary profile
- in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
 - Ovary surface
- the ovary surface is textured with tiny points, bumps or wrinkles
 - Peduncle hair type
- the hairs on the peduncles appear tangled or woolly
 - Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
 - Peduncle orientation
- the flower heads are held upright, or slightly angled outwards
 - Ray flower color
- NA
 - Ray flower reproductive parts
- NA
 - Ray flowers
- 0
 - Ray length
- 0 mm
 - Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
 - Scale tip
- NA
 - Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is a cycle of much smaller bracts outside the cycle of larger and longer bracts
 - Style branch number
- the style has two branches
 - Style branches
- the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
 
- 
                        Fruits or seeds- Number of pappus parts
- 
                                
                                    - 10
- 11 or more
 
 - Seed hair tuft bases
- the pappus hairs are not attached to one another near the base
 - Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
 - Seed hairs uniform
- all the pappus hairs are approximately the same length
 - Seed tuft scale number
- 0
 - Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
 - Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
 - Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
 
- 
                        Glands or sap- Bract resin
- the bracts have resin or resin glands
 - Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
 
- 
                        Growth form- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
 - Plant lifespan
- 
                                
                                    - the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- the plant is biennial, it appears as either first year (non-reproductive) plants or second year plants with flowers or fruit
 
 - Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
 - Underground organs
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
 
- 
                        Leaves- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
 - Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
 - Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 - Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 - Leaf arrangement
- 
                                
                                    - alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
 
 - Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no petiole
 - Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
 - Leaf blade bloom
- NA
 - Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
 - Leaf blade flatness
- 
                                
                                    - the edges of the leaf are curled under
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
 
 - Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has tangled or woolly-looking hairs
 - Leaf blade length
- 30–100 mm
 - Leaf blade shape
- 
                                
                                    - the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
 
 - Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
 - Leaf blade width
- 3–13 mm
 - Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
 - Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
 - Leaf stalk
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
 - Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
 - Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 - Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
 - Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
 
- 
                        Place- Habitat
- terrestrial
 - New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
 
 - Specific habitat
- 
                                
                                    - edges of forests
- man-made or disturbed habitats
 
 
- 
                        Scent- Plant odor
- the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin
 
- 
                        Stem, shoot, branch- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
 - Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
 - Stem internode hair direction
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
 - Stem internode hair type
- 
                                
                                    - at least some of the hairs on the stem are tangled, matted or woolly
- at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands
 
 - Stem internode hairs
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
 - Stem wings
- the stem has wings on it that run down the stem from the leaf nodes
 
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- extremely rare to rare (S-rank: S1S2), #NAME? (code: #NAME?)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Pseudognaphalium macounii (Greene) Kartesz N
Macoun’s rabbit-tobacco. Gnaphalium decurrens Ives; G. macounii Greene; Pseudognaphalium viscosum, auct. non (Kunth) W.A. Weber • CT, MA, ME, NH, VT. Fields, roadsides, forest clearings, logging roads.
![Stems: Pseudognaphalium macounii. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/pseudognaphalium-macounii-st-ahaines-a.jpg) 
                        ![Flowers: Pseudognaphalium macounii. ~ By Louis-M. Landry. ~ Copyright © 2025 Louis-M. Landry. ~ LM.Landry[at]videotron.ca  ~ CalPhotos - calphotos.berkeley.edu/flora/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/pseudognaphalium-macounii-fl-llandry.jpg) 
                        ![Leaves: Pseudognaphalium macounii. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/pseudognaphalium-macounii-le-ahaines-b.jpg) 
                        ![Leaves: Pseudognaphalium macounii. ~ By Frank Bramley. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/pseudognaphalium-macounii-le-fbramley.jpg) 
                        ![Stems: Pseudognaphalium macounii. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/pseudognaphalium-macounii-st-efarnsworth.jpg) 
                        ![Plant form: Pseudognaphalium macounii. ~ By Frank Bramley. ~ Copyright © 2025 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/pseudognaphalium-macounii-ha-fbramley.jpg) 
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