Category: Identification

Family – Fabaceae

Stems:

Leaves:

Inflorescence:

N/A

Flowers:

Calyx.

Flowering – May – August.

Habitat – Open woods, clearings, sandhills, flatwoods, roadsides.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This attractive species can be found throughout much of Alabama. The plant can be identified by its trifoliolate leaves, hirsutulous to tomentose stems, and fairly large yellow flowers.
The genus name Rhynchosia derives from the Greek “rhynch(o)” meaning “a beak, snout” referring to the keel of the flowers.
The species epithet tomentosa derives from the Latin “toment(os)(um)” meaning “dense hair, stuffing” referring to the hairiness of the plant.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken off Hwy 21 near Furman, AL., 6-4-05.

Family – Asteraceae

Stems:

Leaves:

Inflorescence:

N/A

Involucre:

Ray flowers:

Absent.

Disk flowers:

Flowering – June – September.

Habitat – Sandy open ground, sandy woods, sandhills, dry hammocks, roadsides, old fields, pine barrens.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This striking species can be found mainly in the southern half of Alabama. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its linear leaves, pubescent stems and acute phyllaries. Although the plant is commonly called “Tall Ironweed” it only grows to about 1.2m tall. Other species of Vernonia get much taller.
The genus is named for William Vernon (16? – 1711). Vernon was an English botanist who studied plants in North America.
The species epithet angustifolia derives from the Latin “angust(i)” meaning “narrow” and “foli” meaning “a leaf.”

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken off Lee Rd 54, Lee County, AL., 8-30-04.

Family – Cyperaceae

Stems:

Stem.

Stem in cross section.

Leaves:

N/A

Inflorescence:

Flowers:

Spikelet close-up.

Flowering – July – October.

Habitat – Marshes, bogs, lake and pond margins, ditches, low fields.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This species can be found mainly in the southern half of Alabama. The plant can be identified by its sharply trigonous stems, compressed spikelets, and trigonous fruits.
The genus name Cyperus is from the Greek “cyper(us)” meaning “a rush or sedge.”

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken off Lee Rd 27, Auburn, AL., 9-9-05.

Family – Fumariaceae

Stems:

Leaves:

N/A

Inflorescence:

Flowers:

Developing fruits.

Flowering – March – May.

Habitat – Fields, waste places, roadsides, disturbed areas, waste places.

Origin – Native to Eurasia.

Other information – This striking but weedy species can be found mainly in the southern portions of Alabama but it is likely found throughout the state. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its angled stems, finely divided leaves, and irregular, dark-pink flowers.
The genus name Fumaria derives from the Latin “fum” meaning “smoke.” The plant was probably named becasue of the nitrous odor of the roots when crushed or bruised.
The species epithet officinalis means “of the shops, of the apothecaries, official medicines” becasue of the plants early reputation for being a medicinal herb.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken on the Auburn University Campus, 3-6-05.

Family – Violaceae

Stems:

N/A

Leaves:

Inflorescence:

N/A

Flowers:

Flowering – February – May.

Habitat – Flatwoods, bogs, hammocks, pond and stream margins, savannahs, pocosins.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This plant can be found mainly in the southern and eastern portions of Alabama. The plant used to be classified as a distinct species. At the present time it is believed that the plant is a hybrid between V. lanceolata L. and V. macloskeyi (Banks) C.L. Hitchcock. The plant is fairly easy to identify becasue of its small white flowers, habitat, and subcordate leaves.
The genus name Viola is the classical Latin name for the violets.
The species epithet means “leaves of primrose” from the Latin “primul” meaning “the primrose” and “foli(a)” meaning “a leaf”.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken off Hwy 29, Guilford County, NC., 4-23-03.

Family – Asteraceae

Stems:

Leaves:

Inflorescence:

N/A

Involucre:

Ray Flowers:

Disk Flowers:

Flowering – June – August.

Habitat – Hammocks, road banks, thickets.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This attractive little species can be found throughout Alabama. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its toothed leaves, white ray flowers, and spreading phyllaries. The apices of the phyllaries are green and the bases are white.
The genus name Sericocarpus derives from the Greek “seric(o)” meaning “silk” and “carp(us)” meaning “fruit” referring to the silky hairy achenes of this genus.
The species epithet asteroides derives from the Greek “oid” meaning “like, form.” The name means “resembling an Aster” which is another genus of the Asteraceae.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken at Fort Benning, GA., 7-3-05.

Family – Ranunculaceae

Stems:

N/A

Leaves:

Pedicel.

Inflorescence:

N/A

Flowers:

Flowering – March – April.

Habitat – Rich woods, rich soils of rocky slopes, base of bluffs.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This species can be found mainly in the northern half of Alabama. The plant is easy to identify becasue of its pointed, three-lobed leaves, and distinctive flowers. The plant blooms very early and is easily seen against the early spring forest floor.
The genus name Hepatica derives from the Greek “hepa(t)” meaning “the liver” referring to the shape of the leaves resembling a human liver.
The species epithet acutiloba derives from the Latin “acut” meaning “sharp, pointed” and he Greek “lob” meaning “a lobe” referring to the pointed lobes of the leaves.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken at Whetstone Conservation Area, Callaway County, MO., 3-19-04, and at the Walls of Jericho, AL., 3-4-06.

Family – Plantaginaceae

Stems:

Lower portion of flowering scape.

Upper portion of flowering scape.

Leaves:

Inflorescence:

Flowers:

Flowering – April – June.

Habitat – Disturbed sites, waste places, roadsides.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This species can be found mainly in southern Alabama but is undoubtedly more common than is reported. The plant can be identified by its long, thin leaves, pubescent scapes, dense inflorescences, and pilose sepals.
The genus name Plantago derives from the Latin “plant(a)” meaning “the sole of a foot (footprint), a plant.”
The species epithet wrightiana is named in honor of Charles Wright (1811-1885). Wright was an American botanical collector from Connecticut who collected in Texas, Mexico, New Mexico, Niacaragua, and Cuba.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken off Lee Rd 27, Auburn, AL., 4-30-06.

Family – Cistaceae

Stems:

Leaves:

Inflorescence:

N/A

Flowers:

Calyx.

Flowering – March – June.

Habitat – Sandhills, dunes, dry, open hammocks.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This showy little species can be found in extreme southern Alabama. The plant can be identified by its habitat, tomentose stems and abaxial leaf surfaces, glabrous ovaries and fruits, and cymose inflorescences.
The genus nameHelianthemum derives from the Greek “helio” meaning “the sun” and “anthem” meaning “a flower” becasue the flowers open only in sunlight and only for one day. The petals are shed that same night or the following day.
The species epithet corymbosum derives from the Greek “corymb” meaning “the top, summit, a cluster of flowers” referring to the clusters of terminal or sub-terminal flowers of this species.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken at St. George Island State Park, FL., 3-29-05.

Family – Poaceae

Stems:

Base of plant.

Node.

Leaves:

Arrow shows small, hairy ligule.

Inflorescence:

Mature inflorescence.

Flowers:

Spikelets…

…again.

Flowering – September – November.

Habitat – Sandhills, pinelands, flatwoods.

Origin – Native to North America.

Other information – This species can only be found in the most southern Alabama counties where its sandhill and pineland habitats exist. The grass is fairly easy to identify becasue of its hairy, rounded spikelets. Another species, A. rufa (Nutt.) Schult., is similar but has much thinner leaves and longer hairs on the fruits. This latter species likes more moist habitats.
The species epithet villosa derives from the Latin “villos” meaning “hairy” referring to the spikelets.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken at Fort Benning, GA., 10-9-05.