Flower Color

• Yellow
• Purple
• Multi-colored

Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)

• Solitary, axillary
• Solitary, terminal

Number of Petals

• 5 petals

Petal Separation

• Completely free to base

Petal Tip

• Pointed
• Rounded
• Square

Flower Symmetry

• Flowers regular

Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)

• 4.5 cm (1.8 inches)
• 5.0 cm (2.0 inches) or more

Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)

• 4.5 cm (1.8 inches)
• 5.0 cm (2.0 inches)
• > 5.0 cm (> 2.0 inches)

Number of Sepals

• sepals lacking
• 5 sepals
• 8 sepals
• 9 sepals
• 10 sepals
• more than 10 sepals

Sepal Separation

• Completely free to base
• United at base < 25% length

Sepal Tip

• Pointed

Flower Sex

• Bisexual (perfect)

Number of Styles

• 1 style
• 5 styles

Number of Stamens

• more than 10 stamens

Stamens Attached to the Petals

• Stamens NOT attached to the petals

Stamens Connate (united)

• Filaments united, monodelphous

Carpel Separation

• Carpels united (or one)

Number of Carpels

• 5 carpels

Ovary Position

• Superior (hypogynous)

Fruit Type

• Capsule, 3-celled

Fruit Length at Maturity

• 1.0 dm (4.0 inches)
• > 1.5 dm (> 6.0 inches)
• 1.5 dm (6.0 inches)

Fruit Width at Maturity

• 2.0 cm (.80 inch)
• 2.5 cm (1.0 inch)
• 3.0 cm (1.2 inches)
• 3.5 cm (1.4 inches)

Burs

• Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement

• Alternate

Leaf Type

• Simple (including lobed leaves)

Stipules

• Lacking

Tendrils

• Tendrils absent

Venation

• Palmate

Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio

• Petiole 25% - 75% total length
• Petiole > 75% total length

Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)

• 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
• 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
• 4 - 6 dm (1.3 - 2.0 feet)

Leaf Width

• 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
• 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
• > 4 dm (>1.3 feet)

Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)

• Palmately 3 lobed
• Palmately 4 - 5 lobed

Leaf or Leaflet Margin

• Crenate
• Dentate
• Lobed

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base

• Cordate

Leaf or Leaflet Tip

• Acute

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface

• Glabrous (NO hairs)
• Pubescent
• Stinging hairs

Succulence

• Not succulent

Milky Juice

• Juice NOT milky (watery)

Woodiness

• Herbaceous

Spines or Thorns

• Spines or Thorns ABSENT

Aromatic (vegetative structures)

• Not aromatic
• Aromatic

Life Cycle

• Annual

Growth Habit (while flowering)

• Erect, columnar (narrow)
• Erect, spherical (bushy)

Plant Height at Maturity

• 6 - 8 dm (2.0 - 2.6 feet)
• 8 - 10 dm (2.6 - 3.3 feet)
• 1 - 1.5 meters (3.3 - 5.0 feet)
• 1.5 - 2.0 meters (5.0 - 6.6 feet)

Wind Dissemination

• Not wind disseminated

Moisture Regime

• Mesic

Chlorophyll

• Present

Stem Cross Section

• Round

Flowering Stem Leaves

• Stem uniformly leafy

Main Stem Branches

• Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule

• Tap Root

US State

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Illinois
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• Maryland

Other

• Puerto Rico
• Virgin Islands
• District of Columbia

• S.W.S.S. Weed ID Guide, 1993 Section Number and Five letter code: 9 ABMES
• Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 294
• Weeds of the South, University of Georgia 2009, ISBN#0-8203-3046-9 See page: 228
• Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
• Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds x