Flower Color

• Green

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

• Axillary racemes

Number of Petals

• 0 (no petals)

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

• 3 sepals
• 4 sepals
• 5 sepals
• 6 sepals

Sepal Separation

• United from 25% - 75% length

Sepal Tip

• Rounded

Flower Sex

• Unisexual (monoecious or dioecious)

Number of Styles

• Styles lacking (male flowers only)
• 3 styles

Number of Stamens

• stamens lacking (female flowers only)
• 2 stamens
• 3 stamens
• 4 stamens
• 5 stamens
• 6 stamens
• 7 stamens
• 8 stamens
• 9 stamens
• 10 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

• 0 (male flowers only or plants producing spores)
• 3 carpels

Ovary Position

• Superior (hypogynous)

Fruit Type

• Capsule, 3-celled

Fruit Length at Maturity

• 3 mm (.12 inch)
• 4 mm (.16 inch)

Fruit Width at Maturity

• 6 mm (.24 inch)
• 7 mm (.28 inch)
• 8 mm (.32 inch)

Burs

• Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement

• Alternate
• Alternate below, opposite above
• Opposite

Leaf Type

• Simple (including lobed leaves)

Stipules

• Foliaceous < 2 mm (< .08 inch) long
• Foliaceous 2-4 mm (.08 - .16 in) long

Tendrils

• Tendrils absent

Venation

• Pinnate

Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio

• Petiole < 25% total length

Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)

• 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
• 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)

Leaf Width

• 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)

Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)

• Lanceolate

Leaf or Leaflet Margin

• Dentate
• Serrate
• Ciliate

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base

• Acute (cuneate)
• Truncate

Leaf or Leaflet Tip

• Acute

Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface

• 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

Life Cycle

• Perennial

Growth Habit (while flowering)

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

Plant Height at Maturity

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

• Fibrous
• Tap Root

US State

• Arkansas
• Kansas
• Missouri
• Texas
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Oklahoma
• Utah
• Nebraska

• Field Guide To The Common Weeds Of Kansas, 1983 (ISBN 0-7006-0233-X) See page: 76
• Weed Seeds of the Great Plains, 1993 University of Kansas# 92-125-B ISBN# 0-7006-0651-3 See index #: 131
• Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 x