Flower Color

• Green
• White

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

• Solitary, axillary
• Solitary, terminal

Number of Petals

• 0 (no petals)
• 4 petals

Petal Separation

• United at base only (<25% length)

Petal Tip

• Pointed

Flower Symmetry

• Flowers regular

Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)

• 1 mm (.04 inch)
• 2 mm (.08 inch)

Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)

• 1 mm (.04 inch)
• 2 mm (.08 inch)

Number of Sepals

• 4 sepals

Sepal Separation

• United at base < 25% length

Sepal Tip

• Pointed

Flower Sex

• Bisexual (perfect)

Number of Styles

• 4 styles

Number of Stamens

• 4 stamens
• 8 stamens

Stamens Attached to the Petals

• Stamens NOT attached to the petals

Stamens Connate (united)

• Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation

• Carpels united (or one)

Number of Carpels

• 4 carpels

Ovary Position

• Superior (hypogynous)

Fruit Type

• Capsule, > 3-celled

Fruit Length at Maturity

• 1 mm (.04 inch) or less
• 2 mm (.08 inch)

Fruit Width at Maturity

• 1 mm (.04 inch) or less
• 2 mm (.08 inch)

Burs

• Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement

• Opposite

Leaf Type

• Simple (including lobed leaves)

Stipules

• Scarious

Tendrils

• Tendrils absent

Venation

• Pinnate

Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio

• Petiole absent (leaf sessile)

Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)

• < 5 mm (< .20 inch)
• 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)

Leaf Width

• < 1 mm (< .04 inch)
• 1 - 5 mm (.04 - .20 inch)

Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)

• Linear or filiform

Leaf or Leaflet Margin

• Entire

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base

• Acute (cuneate)
• Truncate

Leaf or Leaflet Tip

• Acute

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface

• Glabrous (NO hairs)
• Glandular
• Puberulent

Succulence

• Not succulent

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)

• Prostrate
• Spreading ascending

Plant Height at Maturity

• < 1 cm (< .40 inch)
• 1 - 5 cm (.40 - 2.0 inches)

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

• Illinois
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• New Jersey
• Maryland
• California
• Colorado
• Oregon
• Washington

Canadian Province or Territory

• British Columbia

• California Growers Weed Identification Handbook, 1968 - 1998 University of California Publication # 4030-1, See page: 269
• Garden Weeds of Southern California, 1981, See page: 44
• Northwest Weeds, 1990 (ISBN 0-87842-249-8) See page: 39
• Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 179
• Weeds of California and other Western States, 2007 (ISBN 13: 978-1-879906-69-3) See Page: 567