Confusion between Pseudognaphalium affine and Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum

[J.M. Garg]

Dear members,
Both appear to be quite close as per Keys in Flora of Pakistan, as below:

1	Leaves subamplexicaul-auricled, green glandular on upper surface, white tomentose beneath.		Pseudognaphalium hypolecum
+	Leaves sessile not amplexicaul or auricled, whitish tomentose on both surfaces.		(2)
2 (1)	Phyllaries pale to dark brown or reddish brown.		Pseudognaphalium luteo-album
+	Phyllaries citrine to golden yellow.		Pseudognaphalium affine

Keys are also available in Flora of China, with phyllaries silvery gray to yellowish in Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum as per description in it. 

Other important aspects as per keys are:

Dwarf herbs, 10-40 cm tall; leaves 1-veined 

Annual herbs; leaves spatulate or spatulate-oblong, apex obtusely rounded, base narrower.  P. luteoalbum

Stems white lanate; leaf base decurrent, sometimes slightly amplexicaul; capitula 2-4 mm in diam. 
Dwarf herbs, 10-40 cm tall, usually branched from base; leaves spatulate or spatulate-oblanceolate, not amplexicaul or auriculate, whitish tomentose on both surfaces; pappus connate at base. P. affine 

Specimens in GBIF can be seen at P. luteoalbum (specimen one, two and three and four) and P. affine (specimen one, two).

Based on the above, I will have a relook at different posts in our database. 

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[J.M. Garg]

On further checking, I found that Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum is not mentioned in The checklist of Nepal and there is only one specimen of it from India in GBIF out of the total 18,062 available in GBIF. 

I feel most of the postings are correctly placed in our site at Pseudognaphalium affine (except for some of P. hypoleucum, which I have already pointed out) as per GBIF. 

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With regards,
J.M.Garg