BUCKHORN PLANTAIN
A
perennial, reproducing by seed.
Stems are erect, leafless, four-to- 12 inches long, terminating with flower spike.
Leaves are at ground level in a basal rosette, hairy, two-to 10-inches long, one-fourth-to one-inch wide, with three to five prominent veins running lengthwise.
Flower are numerous, petals inconspicuous, in short cylindrical spikes at ends of stems. Seedpods are two-seeded, splitting across the middle.
Seeds are small, brown, shiny, smooth, boat-shaped, with an indentation in the middle of one side, and sticky when damp. There is also a Broadleaf Plantain that has broad, egg-shaped leaves with petioles, and the seed pods are in a cylindrical pattern on the upper several inches of the stem.
CANADA THISTLE
A
perennial reproducing from seeds and horizontal roots. Roots extend
several feet deep and some distance horizontally.
Stems two- to five-feet tall, grooved, branching only at the top, slightly hairy when young, increasingly hairy as they mature.
Leaves usually with crinkled edges and spiny margins, somewhat lobed, and smooth.
Flower heads numerous, compact, about three-fourths of an inch or less in diameter, of lavender disk flowers only. Surrounded by bracts without spiny tips. Male and female flowers usually contained in separate heads and borne on different plants.
Seed is brown, smooth-coated, slightly tapered, about 3/16-inch long and with a ridge around the blossom end. Seed is attached to tannish down that is easily broken off. There is also a Bull Thistle that is very similar except it is a biennial, reproduces only from seed, has a larger bloom, and the seed is straw-colored, striped with brown.
CHICORY
A
perennial, reproducing by seed. Taproot large, deep, and fleshy.
Stem is erect, branched, smooth, and with a milky sap.
Leaves are basal and along the stems. Basal leaves form a rosette, six- to eight-inches long, lobed, and resembling those of a dandelion. Leaves on stems are smaller and either less lobed or entire.
Flower head of ray flowers only, bright blue, about one inch across, formed at ends of branches and in the axils of leaves of upper part of plant. Flowers are most conspicuous in the morning and close late in the day.
Seeds are dark brown, wedge-shaped, about one-eighth-inch long.
COMMON RAGWEED
An
annual shallow-rooted plant.
Stems are rough, hairy, erect, branched, one- to four-feet tall.
Leaves nearly smooth, deeply cut into a number of lobes, mostly alternate.
Flowers of two kinds; male pollen-producing flowers in small inverted clusters at tips of branches; seed-producing flowers fewer, borne at the bases of leaves and in forks of upper branches.
Seed is about one-eighth-inch long, enclosed in woody hull, light brown, top-shaped, pointed, bearing several longitudinal ridges ending in short, spiny projections. There is also a Giant Ragweed that grows 12- to 18-feet tall with broader leaves that have three to five lobes.
CURLY DOCK
A
perennial with large yellow somewhat branched taproot, reproducing
by seed.
Stems are smooth, erect, one- to four-feet tall, single or in groups from the root crown.
Leaves mostly basal, smooth, six- to 12-inches long, lanceolate, with wavy curled edges. Upper leaves alternate, the base of the short petiole having a papery sheath surrounding the stem.
Flowers in dense clusters on branches at tip of stem, without petals, small, greenish, becoming reddish-brown at maturity.
Seeds are brown, triangular, and sharp-edged, surrounded with heart-shaped bracts with smooth edges. There is also a Broadleaf Dock that is similar to curly dock except the leaves are broad and flat with a heart-shaped base.
FIELD MINT
Perennial
that reproduces by seeds and rhizomes, aromatic.
Stems are square, usually branching, up to 2-1/2-feet tall; barbed hairs on angles and sometimes on sides of stem.
Leaves are opposite, with petioles, strongly scented, pinnately veined, narrow to oval, with small teeth on margins and with minute glandular hairs on leaf surface.
Flowers are clustered in axils of upper leaves. Petals are pink, lavender, or occasionally white; one-eighth- to one-fourth-inch long, with five teeth and prominent nerves in the tube.
Fruits are nutlets less that 1/16-inch long, smooth, light brown, each with an irregular dark line on the convex side.
HORSE WEED
An
annual that reproduces by seed.
Stem is stout, erect, unbranched at base, one- to six-feet tall, with bristly hairs.
Leaves are numerous, without petioles, linear, dark green, with scattered coarse white bristles, margins toothed or entire.
Flower heads numerous, small, in axillary panicles, a narrow-pointed bract at the base of each head. Ray flowers greenish-white, scarcely noticeable, surrounding yellow disk flowers.
Seeds are about 1/16-inch long with numerous slender white bristles on one end.
ROUGH FLEABANE
Annual,
winter annual, or biennial, reproducing from seeds.
Stems are clustered, one- to three-feet tall, hairy, with numerous branches from the upper part.
Leaves variable, lower ones ovate, upper lanceolate, blade often tapering toward base to form more or less winged petiole.
Flower heads one-half to one inch in diameter, white to lavender ray flowers surrounding the yellow disk flowers.
Seeds are 1/16-inch long, wedge-shaped, with a tuft of short white bristles at top.
TEASEL
Biennial
plant reproducing from seed.
Stem the second year is coarse, upright, prickly, two- to five-feet tall.
Leaves are lance-oblong, toothed, prickly on margin; a rosette the first year, opposite the second year.
Flowers are lilac or white, with four petals, in dense ovoid heads with numerous slender bracts that become stiff-hooked prickles at maturity.
Seeds are about 3/16 inch long, four-angled, ridged, hairy, grayish-brown.
VIRGINIA PEPPERWEED
Annual
or winter annual reproducing from seed.
Stems are much branched, six- to 18-inches tall, not hairy, or with very fine hairs.
Leaves on stem lanceolate to linear, coarsely toothed, usually without petioles; basal leaves obovate, with one large terminal lobe and several smaller dentate lateral ones, hairless.
Flowers are small, white, four-petaled, borne in racemes, which grow for considerable periods, so that there are often ripe seeds below and flowers at the tip of the raceme.
Seed pod round, about one-eighth inch across, containing two reddish-yellow seeds.
WHITE HEATH ASTER
A
perennial with fibrous roots developing from the hard enlarged
crown.
Stems are erect, one- to four-feet tall, hard and tough, smooth or usually hairy or stiff-hairy, upper two-thirds much branched.
Leaves are at base narrowly lance-shaped, those on upper stem become very small and narrow, sharp-pointed, numerous.
Flower heads are one-half to three-fourths inch in diameter, very numerous, mostly on upper sides of branches, white ray flowers surrounding the yellow disk flowers.
Seeds are small, oblong, light brown, with a tuft of silky hairs attached to the top.
WILD CARROT – (Queen Anne’s Lace) – (Corn Plants
in Background)
Biennial
that reproduces from seed. First year it produces rosette of finely divided
leaves and fleshy taproot; in second year it blooms and dies.
Stem (second year) erect, one- to three-feet tall, hairy, stout, and branched at top.
Leaves are alternate, finely pinnately divided, hairy with distinct carrotlike odor.
Flowers small, with five white petals, borne in umbels at ends of branches.
Seeds one-eighth inch or less long, one side flattened, the other rounded and showing four heavy long-bristled ridges with smaller ones between. The outside seed bearing stalks curve in sharply as they mature.