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Latin name: Sonchus oleraceae |
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Family: Asteraceae |
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Common name: Annual sowthistle |
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Life cycle: annual, spreads by seed |
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Habit: initially a rosette, then upright and columnar |
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Foliage: Cauline foliage is deltoid in
shape, clasps the stem, and has shallow pointed lobes. Despite its appearance,
it is not
prickly or spiny, and does not hurt to touch or squeeze. |
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Flowers: Flower heads occur in clusters
and are composed of yellow ray flowers. |
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Notes: This is a very common species in Oregon field
nurseries, and is becoming more common in container crops. Seed are
air-borne,
thus local sanitation around the nursery is imperative for effective control. |