Notes on Gnaphalium sylvaticum

Gnaphalium sylvaticum L., two morphs (three leaves on the left: Finland, Lammi, Taka-Killo, 1997; one leaf on the right: Finland, Nurmijärvi, Uotila, 2004). – Image: Harri Harmaja (scanned from dried specimens). – The leaves on the left are from a solitary sterile autumn rosette that was found among typical representatives of G. sylvaticum (Asteraceae) in a roadside meadow with e.g. Thalictrum simplex ssp. simplex. The leaves of this plant were deviating as possessing three (instead of one) nerves throughout (the somewhat hairy upper surface is shown in the image). In this respect they resemble the leaves of the closely related  northern species G. norvegicum Gunnerus. On the right, the upper surface of a typical leaf of G. sylvaticum is shown for comparison; likewise, it is from an autumn rosette. This variability of G. sylvaticum should be kept in mind as the number of leaf nerves is considered as one of the important features used to discriminate between G. sylvaticum and G. norvegicum.