Plant Identification Reviewing Some of the Common Plants Found on the SMESL - SM South HS Environmental Education 1

Plant IdentificationPlant Identification

Reviewing Some of the Common Plants Reviewing Some of the Common Plants Found on the SMESL - SM South HSFound on the SMESL - SM South HS

Environmental Education 1Environmental Education 1

The GrassesThe Grasses

From http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredks/86565746/

Foxtail Foxtail ((SetariaSetaria sp. sp.))

Flower head a series Flower head a series of dense spikes.of dense spikes.

Head floppy, drupes Head floppy, drupes easily like a “fox tail”.easily like a “fox tail”.

From http://www.backyardnature.net/fl_foxtl.htm

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/giantfoxtail.html

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/giantfoxtail.html

Side Oats Grama Side Oats Grama ((BoutelouaBouteloua curtipendulacurtipendula))

Its spikelets have an Its spikelets have an oat-like resemblanceoat-like resemblance

Spikelets Appear to Spikelets Appear to come off one side of come off one side of the panicle branch. the panicle branch.

10 - 40 inches tall.10 - 40 inches tall.

From http://www.noble.org/webapps/plantimagegallery/

From http://www.noble.org/webapps/plantimagegallery/ Spikelets

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/sideoats.html

Big Bluestem Big Bluestem ((Andropogon gerardiiAndropogon gerardii ) )

Can be quite tall. Can be quite tall. (2 to 6 feet)(2 to 6 feet)

One of the big grasses One of the big grasses on the prairie.on the prairie.

Inflorescence often Inflorescence often resembles a turkey resembles a turkey foot. foot.

The base of the plant The base of the plant is typically hairy is typically hairy



Turkey Foot

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/bigbluestem.html

Indian Grass Indian Grass ((SorghastrumSorghastrum nutansnutans ))

Inflorescence looks Inflorescence looks like a big paint brush.like a big paint brush.

The leaves are broad The leaves are broad with a blue-green with a blue-green color. color.

One of the big One of the big grasses on the grasses on the prairie.prairie.


The ligules/auricles The ligules/auricles take on the take on the appearance of rabbit appearance of rabbit ears,ears,

Paint BrushPaint Brush


Little Bluestem Little Bluestem ((SchizachyriumSchizachyrium scopariumscoparium))

20 to 60 inches tall.20 to 60 inches tall. Greenish-blue to Greenish-blue to

purplish.purplish. Branching above, Branching above,

leafy base.leafy base. Inflorescence form Inflorescence form

wind blown seed wind blown seed tufts.tufts.

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/littlebluestem.html

Inflorescence Spikelets From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/littlebluestem.html

Switch Grass (Switch Grass (PanicumPanicum))

Broadleaf & Broadleaf & Herbaceous PlantsHerbaceous Plants

Mullien Mullien ((VerbascumVerbascum thapsusthapsus))

3 - 10 feet tall.3 - 10 feet tall. Single erect stemSingle erect stem Leaves large and Leaves large and

covered by fine soft covered by fine soft hairs. Woolyhairs. Wooly

Leaves form rosette at Leaves form rosette at base and up stembase and up stem

Long flower spike at Long flower spike at top of stemtop of stem

Yellow flowersYellow flowers

Wing StemWing Stem Wings on sides of Wings on sides of

stems.stems.

Yellow flowers.Yellow flowers.

Tall plants.Tall plants.

One stalk that One stalk that branches at top.branches at top.

Narrow, rough leaves Narrow, rough leaves up to 6 inches long.up to 6 inches long.

Golden Rod Golden Rod ((SolidagoSolidago sp.) sp.)

Flowers yellowFlowers yellow

Inflorescence usually Inflorescence usually wider than it is tall, with wider than it is tall, with numerous tiny flowering numerous tiny flowering heads on the upper side of heads on the upper side of curving branches.curving branches.

Stem is green toStem is green to Reddish-Reddish-green, single or clustered, green, single or clustered, usually erect.usually erect.

Leaves lanceolate, 2 to 5 Leaves lanceolate, 2 to 5 inches long inches long

From http://www.missouriwildflowerguide.com/default.asp

From epod.usra.edu From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/missourigold.html

Poison Ivy Poison Ivy ((TToxicodendronoxicodendron radicansradicans ) )

3-leaflets.3-leaflets.

Petiole often reddish.Petiole often reddish.

Leaflets kind of Leaflets kind of triangular with side triangular with side notch.notch.

““If it’s 3 let it be”If it’s 3 let it be”

Note the Red Petiole

White Berries

Milkweed Milkweed ((AsclepiasAsclepias syriacasyriaca))

Grows up to six feet tall. Grows up to six feet tall. Has large, broad leaves, Has large, broad leaves,

usually four to ten inches usually four to ten inches long. long.

Flowers are Flowers are pinkish-purple clusters which often droop.often droop.

Fruits are large green Fruits are large green pods which turn brown pods which turn brown before bursting open to before bursting open to let out fluffy seeds.let out fluffy seeds.

Sap is milky white.Sap is milky white.From http://biology.missouristate.edu/Herbarium/default.htm

From http://biology.missouristate.edu/Herbarium/default.htm

Flowers in the spring

Thistle Thistle Leaves with sharp Leaves with sharp

spines or prickles on spines or prickles on the margins.the margins.

Their prickles often Their prickles often occur all over the occur all over the plant, including on plant, including on the stem and flat the stem and flat parts of the leaf.parts of the leaf.

Purple flowers. Purple flowers. From http://weeds.hotmeal.net/weeds/List_B_Part2.html

Butterflies love thistle.Butterflies love thistle.

Horse Nettle Horse Nettle ((SolanumSolanum carolinensecarolinense))

Prickly stems and Prickly stems and leaves. leaves.

Yellow fruit that Yellow fruit that resembles little resembles little tomatoes. tomatoes. But But poisonous.poisonous.

White flowers with White flowers with yellow stamens.yellow stamens. From http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/poison/plants/slides/2101lg.jpg

From www.esc.rutgers.edu/.../Poisonous_Plants.htm

From www.esc.rutgers.edu/.../Poisonous_Plants.htm

Joe-pye Weed Joe-pye Weed ((Eupatorium altissimumEupatorium altissimum))

Also known as Also known as Tall Boneset.Tall Boneset.

2 - 6 feet tall.2 - 6 feet tall.

Flowers white.Flowers white.

Leaves attach to stem Leaves attach to stem oppositely.oppositely.

The plant has a gray-The plant has a gray-green coloration due to green coloration due to the fine hairs on the the fine hairs on the stem and leaves.stem and leaves.

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/joepye.html

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/joepye.html

Compass Plant

Rattlesnake Master

Forest Dwelling Forest Dwelling Woody PlantsWoody Plants

Buck BrushBuck Brush

Thin branchesThin branches Leaves in Opposite Leaves in Opposite

pairs.pairs. Little bunches of Little bunches of

berries at base of berries at base of leaves in the fall.leaves in the fall.

Goose Berry Goose Berry ((RibesRibes sp.) sp.)

Leaves look like little Leaves look like little maple leaves but maple leaves but more dividedmore divided

Branches covered Branches covered with sharp spines.with sharp spines.

Green fruits form on Green fruits form on underside of underside of branches.branches.

From http://mnhc.ucsc.edu/gooseberry.html

From http://mnhc.ucsc.edu/gooseberry.html

Bush Honeysuckle-not native, example of an invasive species in the SMESL

VinesVines

Grape Grape ((VincaVinca sp.) sp.)

Leaves large and Leaves large and heart shaped with heart shaped with three points.three points.

Often growing high in Often growing high in trees and over trees and over shrubs.shrubs.

Green fruits in late Green fruits in late summer and fall, summer and fall, turning purple as turning purple as ripen.ripen.

From http://homepage.mac.com/cohora/plants/grape.html

Virginia Creeper Virginia Creeper ((ParthenocissusParthenocissus quinquefolia)quinquefolia)

5-leaflets per leaflets 5-leaflets per leaflets instead of three.instead of three.

Toothy edges to Toothy edges to leaflets.leaflets.

Bottom of each Bottom of each leaflet is often leaflet is often wedge-shaped.wedge-shaped.

Leaflets may taper Leaflets may taper abruptly into a short abruptly into a short blunt tip, blunt tip,

Which is which?Which is which?

Trumpet Creeper Trumpet Creeper ((CampsisCampsis

radicansradicans)) Large leaves with toothy Large leaves with toothy

leaflets 3–10 cm long.leaflets 3–10 cm long. Emerald green when Emerald green when

new, maturing into a new, maturing into a dark green. dark green.

The flowers orange to The flowers orange to red in color, trumpet red in color, trumpet shaped.shaped.

The plant as a whole The plant as a whole may grow to 10 meters may grow to 10 meters in height.in height.

The flowers are very The flowers are very attractive to attractive to hummingbirds.hummingbirds.

From http://www.hramornursery.com/images/TrumpetVine.jpg

From http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/trumpetvine.html

Green Briar (aka Cat Briar)

Some useful websitesSome useful websites KSU Wildflower Visual CollectionKSU Wildflower Visual Collection

http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/

Missouri Wildflower GuideMissouri Wildflower Guide

http://www.missouriwildflowerguide.com/default.asp

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Plant Identification Reviewing Some of the Common Plants Found on the SMESL - SM South HS Environmental Education 1