Flower Color

• Blue
• White

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

• Solitary, axillary
• Solitary, terminal

Number of Petals

• 3 petals
• 6 petals

Petal Separation

• Completely free to base
• United at base only (<25% length)

Petal Tip

• Pointed
• Rounded

Flower Symmetry

• Flowers regular

Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)

• 4 mm (.16 inch)
• 5 mm (.20 inch)
• 6 mm (.24 inch)
• 7 mm (.28 inch)
• 8 mm (.32 inch)

Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)

• 8 mm (.32 inch)
• 9 mm (.36 inch)
• 1.0 cm (.40 inch)
• 1.5 cm (.60 inch)
• 2.0 cm (.80 inch)
• 2.5 cm (1.0 inch)
• 3.0 cm (1.2 inches)

Number of Sepals

• sepals lacking
• 3 sepals
• 6 sepals

Sepal Separation

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

Sepal Tip

• Pointed
• Rounded

Flower Sex

• Bisexual (perfect)

Number of Styles

• 1 style

Number of Stamens

• 3 stamens

Stamens Attached to the Petals

• Stamens attached to the petals

Stamens Connate (united)

• Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation

• Carpels united (or one)

Number of Carpels

• 1 carpel
• 3 carpels

Ovary Position

• Superior (hypogynous)

Fruit Type

• Capsule, 1-celled
• Capsule, 3-celled

Fruit Length at Maturity

• 1.0 cm (.40 inch)
• 1.5 cm (.60 inch)
• 2.0 cm (.80 inch)

Fruit Width at Maturity

• 3 mm (.12 inch)
• 4 mm (.16 inch)
• 5 mm (.20 inch)
• 6 mm (.24 inch)
• 7 mm (.28 inch)
• 8 mm (.32 inch)

Burs

• Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement

• All basal
• Alternate

Leaf Type

• Simple (including lobed leaves)

Stipules

• Lacking

Tendrils

• Tendrils absent

Venation

• Arcuate
• Parallel

Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio

• Petiole > 75% total length

Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)

• 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
• 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)
• 4 - 10 cm (1.60 - 4.0 inches)
• 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)

Leaf Width

• 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)
• 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
• 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.6 inches)
• 4 - 10 cm (1.6 - 4.0 inches)

Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)

• Elliptic
• Oval
• Ovate

Succulence

• Succulent
• Not succulent

Leaf or Leaflet Margin

• Entire

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base

• Rounded
• Truncate

Leaf or Leaflet Tip

• Acute
• Rounded (obtuse)

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface

• Glabrous (NO hairs)

Milky Juice

• Juice NOT milky (watery)

Woodiness

• Herbaceous

Spines or Thorns

• Spines or Thorns ABSENT

Aromatic (vegetative structures)

• Not aromatic

Life Cycle

• Annual

Growth Habit (while flowering)

• Spreading ascending
• Erect, spherical (bushy)
• Floating

Plant Height at Maturity

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

Wind Dissemination

• Not wind disseminated

Moisture Regime

• Aquatic

Chlorophyll

• Present

Stem Cross Section

• Hollow (flowering stem at maturity)
• Round

Flowering Stem Leaves

• Stem leafless

Main Stem Branches

• Main stem unbranched

Root or Vegetative Propagule

• Fibrous

US State

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Minnesota
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Nebraska

Other

• Puerto Rico

• Aquatic and Riparian Plants of the West, 2003 (ISBN# 1-879906-59-7) See page: 342
• California Growers Weed Identification Handbook, 1968 - 1998 University of California Publication # 4030-1, See page: 172
• S.W.S.S. Weed ID Guide, 1993 Section Number and Five letter code: 1 HETLI
• Weeds of the South, University of Georgia 2009, ISBN#0-8203-3046-9 See page: 425
• Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 x
• Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X