Aster Family Yes, this is the echinacea of medicinal "fame." The disk flowers in the center are very stiff and spiny, giving the plant its' genus name. "Echino" means spiny. These were photographed at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Perennial Where seen: University of Tennessee Arboretum, Big South Fork NRRA
Loosestrife Family I was excited to find this flower along the road at Big South Fork (while I was looking at another flower); I had just read about it in one of my identification books. What good timing! It is very sticky which is why it is called "clammy" in the common name, "viscosissima" in the species name. Note the tiny hairs on the flower. Annual Where seen: Great Smoky Mountains NP, Big South Fork NRRA, Warriors' Path SP
(INN) Rank 1 This is a really nasty vine, it is doing serious damage in the Smokies because it chokes out the native plants. It reproduces by the little brown "potato-looking" growths. Perennial Where seen: Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, widespread
