Field Guide

Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 results
Media
Photo of yellow crownbeard flowerhead.
Species Types
Scientific Name
Verbesina helianthoides
Description
Yellow crownbeard and its close relatives are called wingstems because of lengthwise, winged ridges along the stems. Look for it blooming, May through October, in open and rocky areas.
Media
Photo of cut-leaved teasel showing flowerhead and joined, cuplike leaves.
Species Types
Scientific Name
Dipsacus fullonum and D. laciniatus
Description
“Infestation” is the term for what teasels are doing in Missouri. Learn to identify these thistlelike plants, and help to control the weedy spread of these tough, prickly invaders.
Media
Photo of leaf cup flower
Species Types
Scientific Name
Polymnia canadensis
Description
Leaf cup is named for the leafy appendages that wrap around the stem at the bases of the opposite leaves. Part of the sunflower family, leaf cup has about 8 white ray florets surrounding yellow disk florets.
Media
Photo of three ox-eye or false sunflower flowerheads
Species Types
Scientific Name
Heliopsis helianthoides
Description
Ox-eye is a sunflower lookalike. This member of the sunflower family is not a true Helianthus, but a Heliopsis. This attractive perennial is growing in popularity as a native garden flower.
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!