Wildland Plant Identification

Forbs Plants

Wildland Plant Identification Rangeland Ecology & Management 351

7 Major Forbs

Family Genus species Common Name Character ASTEREA Solidago missouriensis Missouri Goldonrod (Per / Nat)

EUPATORIEAE Liatris punctata Dotted Gayfeather (Per / Nat)

HELIANTHEAE Baileya multiradiata Desert Marigold (Per / Nat) HELIANTHEAE Ratibida columnifera Prairie Coneflower (Per / Nat)

FABACEAE Oxytropis lambertii Purple Locoweed (Per / Nat)

RANUNCULACEAE Delphinium occidentale Tall Larkspur (Per / Nat)

SCROPHULARIACEAE Penstemon glaber Sawsepal Penstemon (Per / Nat)

REM 351 – University of Idaho 1 Wildland Plant Identification

ASTEREAE Missouri Goldenrod Solidago missouriensis

– 1.5 to 4 feet tall – Creeping rhizome or woody based – Leaves • Alternate, simple • Margins entire or serrate –Stems • Reddish-green • Simple or rarely branching

ASTEREAE Missouri Goldenrod Solidago missouriensis

– Numerous seed heads on one side of re- curved branches

REM 351 – University of Idaho 2 Wildland Plant Identification

EUPATORIEAE Dotted Gayfeather Liatris punctata

• flowers purple/lavender in axil of leaves

• Surface of leaves distinctly punctate

• Leaves linear

• Thick bulb below the soil surface

EUPATORIEAE Dotted Gayfeather Liatris punctata

• Flowers axillary

• Purple/lavender corolla

• Thick, punctate bracts

• Ciliate margins

REM 351 – University of Idaho 3 Wildland Plant Identification

HELIANTHEAE Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata

–Forb – 10-50 cm tall – Woody caudex on top of taproot – Leaves in basal rosette • Crowded, whorl of leaves at the base and alternated above

HELIANTHEAE Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata

– Flowers • Bright yellow • Limbs 3-toothed at tip • Ray flowers; numerous disk flowers

REM 351 – University of Idaho 4 Wildland Plant Identification

HELIANTHEAE Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera

• Leaves deeply cleft to midrib, with stiff hairs

• Stems from a woody caudex on top of taproot

HELIANTHEAE Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera

• Ray flowers yellow or red

• Disk flowers brown and in a cylindrical column

REM 351 – University of Idaho 5 Wildland Plant Identification

FABACEAE Purple Locoweed Oxytropis lambertii

–Forb – 13 inches tall – Compound leaves in basal rosette – Leaves and stems arise directly from a branching base

FABACEAE Purple Locoweed Oxytropis lambertii

– Flowers April to August – Purple/Blue – Flowers elevated above leaves on stem – Leaves and stems arise directly from a branching base – Flowers “irregular”

REM 351 – University of Idaho 6 Wildland Plant Identification

RANUNCULACEAE Tall Larkspur Delphinium occidentale

– ~3 feet tall – Tall hollow stems – Forb – Leaves • Palmately divided

RANUNCULACEAE Tall Larkspur Delphinium occidentale

-Purple irregular flowers -Flowers have spur-like projection -Inflorescence •raceme •short petioles

REM 351 – University of Idaho 7 Wildland Plant Identification

SCROPHULARIACEAE Sawsepal Penstemon Penstemon glaber – ~2 ft. tall – Leaves opposite – Basal leaves lacking or quite small –Forb

SCROPHULARIACEAE Sawsepal Penstemon Penstemon glaber

– Flowers bluish-purple or pink, pale internally – Irregular – Leaves • Not hairy • Somewhat of a waxy leaf surface

REM 351 – University of Idaho 8