Omalotheca sylvatica, synonyms including Gnaphalium sylvaticum, is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae. It is commonly known as heath cudweed, wood cudweed, golden motherwort, chafeweed, owl's crown,[1] and woodland arctic cudweed. It is widespread across the temperate Northern Hemisphere, throughout North America and Eurasia.[2] The species was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Gnaphalium sylvaticum.
It is a perennial herb with short runners, growing to 8 to 60 cm tall. Its leaves are lanceolate in shape, pointed, 2 to 8 cm long, with a single vein. They have no hair on top, but are woolly hairy below. The upper leaves become progressively shorter and narrower. The flower heads are 6 mm long. The bracts of the flower heads have a green centre, and chaffy brown edges. The florets are pale brown. The achenes are hairy with reddish pappus hairs. It flowers from July until September.[3]
. Francis Rose. The Wild Flower Key . 1981 . Frederick Warne & Co. 0-7232-2419-6 . 377–380.