Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Xanthium spinosum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
The leaves of Spiny Cocklebur are very dark green with noticeably white midribs; that and the long spines quickly impart a distinctive look. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Xanthium spinosum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Xanthium spinosum
INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21 (2006)
Xanthium spinosum
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Xanthium spinosum
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-03-001:
Xanthium spinosum FAMILY Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Acanthoxanthium spinosum
COMMON NAME:
Spiny Cocklebur
NameThatPlant has no pictures at this time. You might try this link: Flora of the Southeastern United States
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Xanthium spinosum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Xanthium spinosum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Xanthium spinosum
INCLUDED WITHIN
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21
Xanthium spinosum
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Xanthium spinosum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-03-001:
Xanthium spinosum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Acanthoxanthium spinosum
2462
Forb
Annual
Habitat: Fields, disturbed ground, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: South America, apparently
Waif(s)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Leaf axils with yellow 3-forked spines 1-3cm long
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Greenish-brown
Inferior ovary
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Black
Achene
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".