The genus Gamochaeta has a range of common names from cudweed to everlasting to rabbit tobacco and to add to the confusion, also has been in a different genus, Gnaphalium. A second group of species that also used to be in Gnaphalium and are now in Pseudognaphalium are summer blooming ones and will be covered then. The genus Gamochaeta includes native herbaceous annuals in the Asteraceae. The plants are often whitish and the stem leaves are alternate, simple, and entire. Often seen as basal rosettes and most plants are scapose or nearly so. The flowers are in heads, and the heads are glomerules along the stem. The disc only flowers have five petals and five stamens, and the pappus is composed of deciduous capillary bristles. The flowers are perfect and white to pink. The ovary is inferior, and fruit is an achene. There are seven species reported for Louisiana with purpureum, falcatum and pennsylvanicum being the common species seen. Very common plants of fallow to semi-fallow areas across the state in the winter to early summer. Caterpillars of painted lady and American lady are reported to eat plants in this genus plus two moths; Everlasting Bud Moth and Everlasting Tebbena Moth. Lots of these plants on Allen Acres. Photo of caterpillar by Dawn McMillian at Almost Eden in April a couple of years ago.