Aster Family This is the smallest of the 3 Ragweed species in our area. It is just as potent with pollen though. If you look closely, you'll see pollen on the leaves! Annual Where seen: Norris Dam SP
(close-up of male flowers) These innocent looking little yellow male flowers are the "bad guys" of Autumn; they dump out the allergy inducing pollen grains. Ragweeds are in the Aster Family, but I can't see any composite-like characteristics in these monoecious flowers! I have asked several botanists about this and none have answered the question to my satisfaction!
Spurge Family I don't know which is worse, trying to type out some of these species names or trying to pronounce them! This plant was growing in the crack of a sidewalk. It was a new one to me, but a quick look at the flowers let me know it was in the Spurge Family (remember the "superior ovaries"?!). I don't know if anyone on the prairie ever made a tea out of it, but if so, they must have been pretty desperate; many Euphorbias contain a sticky, white, latex-laden sap and are poisonous. Annual Where seen: Big Ridge SP
