Field Guide

Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants

Showing 1 - 10 of 39 results
Media
Photo of mullein basal leaves
Species Types
Scientific Name
Verbascum thapsus
Description
Mullein immigrated to America along with Europeans, and with them it has spread across the continent. Its fuzzy, green-gray rosettes of leaves and tall spikes of yellow flowers make it easy to identify.
Media
Photo of moth mullein flowers
Species Types
Scientific Name
Verbascum blattaria
Description
Moth mullein is a native of Eurasia introduced to our continent in the early 1800s. Since then, it has spread across North America. It’s named because the fuzzy flower, with 2 antennalike stamens, looks something like a moth.
Media
Photo of showy evening primrose plant with flowers
Species Types
Scientific Name
Oenothera speciosa
Description
A low-growing wildflower that can colonize large areas along roadsides, showy evening primrose bears pink or white flowers that seem too large for the vegetation that supports them.
Media
Photo of hispid buttercup plant with flower
Species Types
Scientific Name
Ranunculus hispidus
Description
Hispid buttercup is a densely hairy plant with showy yellow flowers. It is found mostly in the southern half of Missouri, usually in moist locations.
Media
Photo of bellwort
Species Types
Scientific Name
Uvularia grandiflora
Description
A common spring wildflower found in forests nearly statewide, large bellwort has bell-shaped flowers that droop downward. The yellow petals sometimes look twisted, almost wilted.
Media
Water primrose flower, bud, and leaves
Species Types
Scientific Name
Ludwigia peploides
Description
Water primrose is a common shoreline plant with bright yellow flowers and long, trailing stems. It grows in dense mats in the shallow areas of ponds, lakes, and streams.
Media
Photo of celandine poppy plant and flowers
Species Types
Scientific Name
Stylophorum diphyllum
Description
The showy, bright yellow flowers of celandine poppy really stand out in the shady woods and valleys where this plant grows. You should consider this species when you are planting a shade garden!
Media
Photo of Harvey's buttercup plant with flowers
Species Types
Scientific Name
Ranunculus harveyi
Description
A slender little buttercup growing in rocky, dry areas with acidic soils, Harvey’s buttercup occurs mostly in southern Missouri. One key to identify it is to examine the basal and stem leaves, which are quite different.
Media
Photo of Missouri bladderpod flowers
Species Types
Scientific Name
Physaria filiformis (formerly Lesquerella filiformis)
Description
Missouri bladderpod is a small, yellow-flowered member of the mustard family that is found only in southwest Missouri. It gets its name from the spherical fruits or “bladders” that contain seeds.
Media
Photo of hoary puccoon closeup of flower cluster
Species Types
Scientific Name
Lithospermum canescens
Description
Hoary puccoon's small, tubular flowers arise on spirally condensed stalks that uncoil and elongate as more flowers open toward the tip. Other members of the borage family share this trait.
See Also

About Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants in Missouri

A very simple way of thinking about the green world is to divide the vascular plants into two groups: woody and nonwoody (or herbaceous). But this is an artificial division; many plant families include some species that are woody and some that are not. The diversity of nonwoody vascular plants is staggering! Think of all the ferns, grasses, sedges, lilies, peas, sunflowers, nightshades, milkweeds, mustards, mints, and mallows — weeds and wildflowers — and many more!