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Alpine squill is a 4-8" tall early spring plant, native to Eurasia. Alpine squill has two (rarely three or four) 3-6" long, narrow, curved, fleshy leaves. One to six red-brown, hairless, leafless flower stalks arise from between the basal leaves; each stalk supports 2-10 deep blue, erect flowers less than 1/2" across on individual, hairless pedicels. The basal leaves clasp the flower stalks up to about half their length. Each flower faces upwards (unlike Scilla siberica), has six spreading tepals, six stamens with dark blue anthers, and a single pistil. The stamens are distinctive in that the filaments are flattened along the flower's radial axis and taper distally; from the side they look like isosceles triangles with the anthers on their tips. Alpine squill contains cardiac glycosides; all parts of the plant are highly toxic.

Scilla

Scilla bifolia

alpine squill [Blooms: Mar-Apr]

Siberian squill is another of the early spring ephemerals native to the Caucasus and west Asia that has been wildly successful in northern Illinois and parts of Minnesota, displacing native species. Its leaves are restricted to a basal set of 2-3 leaves about 5" long and 1/4-1/2" wide, linear with a blunt tip, a shiny green surface, and smooth margins. The leaves tend to roll inward along their margins with the curl increasing towards the tip of the leaf. One or more purplish-green, 6" tall flower stalks arise from the center of the ring of basal leaves with single (rarely two or three) blue, nodding flowers on each stalk, suspended from a slender pedicel that arises directly from the unbranched flower stalks. Each flower is about 1" across with six flaring blue (rarely, white) tepals (each typically with a dark blue line down the middle), six white stamens with dark blue anthers, and a single green pistil with an undivided blue style. Siberian squill can be confused with alpine squill (Scilla bifolia), but in alpine squill the flowers face laterally or upwards rather than drooping like Siberian squill, and the flower stalks are distinctly red-brown (rather than brownish green) and branched rather than supporting flowers with a simple pedicel. Despite the common name, Siberian squill is not native to Siberia; it is native to a broad swath of western Europe from Turkey through the Caucasus and southwestern Russia. Sources differ on whether Siberian squill is toxic but note that it is avoided by vertebrate herbivores; proceed with caution.

Scilla

Scilla siberica

Siberian squill [Blooms: Mar-Apr]

Compass plant flower stalks are very hairy, have scattered sessile, triangular bracts, extend vertically multiple feet, and bear 3-4" yellow, sunflower-like composite flowers. There are 20-35 yellow ray florets (e.g., petals) and 100-200+ yellow, tubular disk florets. Behind the flowerheads are two or three layers of very hairy, green, lance-like bracts with sharply pointed, recurved tips. For unknown reason (it just IS), only the ray florets are fertile; the disc florets bear only functional stamens (with a non-functional style protruding through the middle of the stamen). (True throughout the genus Silphium. The opposite is true in the sunflowers, genus Helianthus, where the ray florets are functionally male and the disk florets are fertile, functional females.)

Silphium

Silphium laciniatum

compass plant [Blooms: Jun-Sep]

Prairie dock's hairless flower stalks produce a panicle of buds and flowerheads. The flowerheads are 2-3" across, with 15-30 bright yellow ray florets with pointed tips and two grooves running the length of the petals; a yellow central disc about 1/4-1/3 the width of the flower contains 120-140 disk florets, green when still buds but bright yellow when open. Behind the flowerhead are two or three layers of green, egg or teardrop shaped, hairless bracts. The ray florets have a bifurcated but functional style protruding from a short yellow tube at the base of the petal; the disc florets have tubular corollas with a non-functional style protruding through the stamen. (True throughout the genus Silphium. The opposite is true in the sunflowers, genus Helianthus, where the ray florets are functionally male, and the disk florets are fertile, functional females.)

Silphium

Silphium terebinthinaceum

prairie dock [Blooms: Jun-Sep]

Hedge mustard flowers occur at the tips of long, slender flower stalks that curve upward; the flower stalks typically arise in abundance at the top of the plant. Each flower is small (1/4" across) with four greenish-yellow sepals, four rectangular yellow petals with rounded tips, a single stout style, and six stamens. The fruit is a very slender, cylindrical seedpod (silique) lower on the flower stalk than the blooming flowers; the siliques are 3/8-3/4" long, erect, oriented parallel to and often appressed to the flower stalk, with the remains of the style on their tips. The siliques turn light brown when mature and split open to release the seeds. The short (<3/4"), straight, appressed seedpods and the upward-curving, sparse flower stalks with only a few blooms open at any one time distinguish hedge mustard from other local mustards.

Sisymbrium

Sisymbrium officinale

hedge mustard [Blooms: May-Jul]

White blue-eyed grass is a native perennial, 6-12" tall with a tuft of basal leaves and flowering stalks that are grass-like (if you squint). The basal leaves are green, 1/8" across, and strap-like; they are shorter than the flowering stalks. The flowering stalks are weakly winged and have a pair of sessile spathes (bracts sheltering the inflorescence) at their tips. The spathes consist of a pair of 1" long reddish or light brownish green bracts backed by a 3" long leafy bract; an umbel of up to six flowers arises between the bracts but only one or two flowers are in bloom at any given time. Each flower is only about 1/2" across and is supported by a 1/2" long pedicel. The flower consists of six white or pale blue tepals with a yellow patch at their bases and narrow, dagger-like tips; a column of yellow or orange-yellow stamens fused along their length almost to the anthers; and a globoid, green ovary covered with fine hairs and sporting a style with three slender lobes. Fertilized flowers produce a ridged, globoid seed capsule, initially green but turning tan to brown as it matures.

Sisyrinchium

Sisyrinchium albidum

white blue-eyed grass [Blooms: May-?]

Water parsnip's upper stems end in 2-5" wide, flat-topped umbels of flowers with numerous (10-20) umbellets, each with 20-35 tiny (1/8" wide) flowers. At the base of the umbel are 6-10 narrow bracts that are curved down towards the stem. Each flower has a 3-5 mm long stalk; a short, light green calyx; five white, heart-shaped petals with incurved tips; five stamens that extend well outside the flower; and an ovary with two diverging styles. The fruits are 3 mm long, slightly laterally compressed, oblong, with strong ribbing; each fruit contains exactly two seeds.

Sium

Sium suave

water parsnip [Blooms: Jul-Aug]

Early goldenrod's inflorescence is apical, a panicle of flowering stems that "often arch upward and outward like a fireworks display" (John Hilty, www.illinoiswildflowers.info). Individual flowerheads are about 1/4" across; they have 4-12 yellow ray florets, not all open at one time, and 8-15 yellow disk florets. The base of the flowerhead is surrounded by 3-4 series of overlapping, narrow, hairless, yellowish-green bracts (phyllaries) that together are 3-4 mm (1/16") long. The pedicels (flower stalks) are usually hairless, all attached on one side of the panicle's flowering branches and curving upward. The fruit is a cone-shaped dry seed 1-1.5 mm long with an attached tuft of light brown hairs 2.5-3.5 mm long. The combination of wing-like leaflets in the leaf axils, hairless stems and leaves, and an inflorescence whose flowering stems flare up and out is diagnostic for early goldenrod. Field goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) is much the same size and general appearance, but has hairy stems and leaves, unlike early goldenrod.

Solidago

Solidago juncea

early goldenrod [Blooms: Jul/Aug-?]

The wand-shaped, nodding inflorescence of field goldenrod arises from the tip of the stem; it is 3-7" long and widest in the middle, tapering towards either end; the flowerheads are all on one side of the flower branches. Flowerheads are each 1/4" across consisting of 4-10 yellow ray florets and 3-10 yellow disk florets. The bracts (phyllaries) surrounding the base of the flowerhead are in three overlapping series; they are pale greenish yellow, covered in short, white hairs. The fruit is a dry seed 0.5-2 mm long with an attached tuft of light brown hairs. Field goldenrod can be distinguished from other goldenrods by (1) its diminutive size, (2) the inflorescence that nods to one size, (3) leaflets present in leaf axils (4) short, fine hairs on both leaves and stems, and (5) the grayish cast of the leaves.

Solidago

Solidago nemoralis

field goldenrod [Blooms: Aug-Oct]

Stiff goldenrod's inflorescence (a corymb) arises from the tip of the main stem and from the upper side stems. It is a compact, flat-topped or rounded mass of flowers 2-5" wide. Each flower is 3/8" across (big for a goldenrod) with 6-13 yellow, pistillate ray florets (with purple styles and no stamens) and up to 35 (usually fewer) yellow, perfect disc florets with five yellow stamens and a purplish, split style. The back of the flowerhead is covered with 3-5 series of overlapping bracts (phyllaries) with the midvein and other veins visible. The fruit is a dry seed that is angular in outline, about 2 mm long with a tuft of white or light brown hairs. The distinctive stiff, rounded upper leaves that clasp the stem are all you need to unequivocally identify stiff goldenrod.

Solidago

Solidago rigida

stiff goldenrod [Blooms: Aug-Oct]

Showy goldenrod's inflorescence is a showy, cylindrical panicle up to 12" long arising from the tip of the stem; the flowering stems are erect or curve upwards and the flowerheads occur on all sides of the flowering stems. (Unlike most goldenrods, where the flowering stems curve outward and downward and the flowerheads are on one side of the flowering stems.) Each flowerhead is about 1/4" across consisting of 4-10 large (for a goldenrod) pistillate ray florets (no stamens) and 6-16 perfect disk florets (both stamens and style). Behind the flowerhead are 3-4 series of overlapping bracts (phyllaries), each with a prominent midvein. The fruit is a 2 mm long seed with dark brown longitudinal grooves and a tuft of light brown hairs. Showy goldenrod is distinguished from other goldenrods by the character combination of: (1) stem leaf margins smooth (not toothed), (2) wing-like leaflets in axils of upper leaves, (3) the stems of the inflorescence erect or curve upward (not out and down), and (4) stems and leaves largely or completely hairless except in the inflorescence.

Solidago

Solidago speciosa

showy goldenrod [Blooms: Jul-Oct]

The upper stems and branches (some arising from upper leaf axils) of white arrowleaf aster terminate in 6-18" long panicles of flowerheads; the panicles are 2-3 times longer than wide. Each flowerhead is 1/2-3/4" across with 8-15 pistillate, white (rarely pale lavender) ray florets and 10-15 perfect (both stamens and styles present) disk florets. The disc florets are initially yellow but turn pink or light purple with age such that the flowerheads with yellow disk florets are often in the minority on the plant. The individual disk florets strike me as being larger than on many asters. The phyllaries (bracts) covering the base of the flowerhead are narrowly lance-shaped, usually hairless, dark green in the middle tapering to narrow, stiff, green to purplish tips. The fruits are 2 mm long, purplish-brown dry seeds with longitudinal ribs and a tuft of hairs at one end. White arrowleaf aster is similar to Drummond's aster (Symphyotrichum drummondii) but is less hairy and has distinctly different phyllaries. Among asters with white flowerheads, only white arrowleaf aster has heart-shaped leaves. (Other asters with heart-shaped leaves typically have blue to violet flowers.)

Symphyotrichum

Symphyotrichum urophyllum

white arrowleaf aster [Blooms: Aug/Sep – ?]

The stalk of narrow-leaved cattails terminates in two spikes of unisexual flowers separated by a distinct gap (at least 1/2", usually several inches). The upper (staminate) spike is narrowly cylindrical, up to 8" long and 1/2" across, light yellow or light brown, and densely covered with staminate flowers (each bearing a single quartet of pollen grains) and numerous hairs. The lower (pistillate) spike is also cylindrical, up to 12" long and 3/4" across, brown or reddish brown in color, and densely covered with pistillate flowers and numerous hairs. The fertile pistillate flowers consist of a 1 mm long bractlet and a 1 mm long stipe that includes the ovary and a single, slender style; both are surrounded by several hairs. (Flora of North America (http://dev.floranorthamerica.org/Typha_angustifolia) and the Jepson Herbarium (https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=47466) have nice illustrations.) The flowers are wind pollinated. Some pistillate flowers are infertile and lack ovaries. Fertilized flowers produce a naked seed attached by a stalk to a tuft of white fibers; the seeds are dispersed by the wind. Narrow-leaved cattail can grow on wet soil or in water up to a foot deep.

Typha

Typha angustifolia

narrow-leaved cattail [Blooms: Jun-Jul]

In common cattail, staminate (male) flowers are located in a spike on the top of the cattail less than a half inch above the spike of female flowers (typically the spikes abut). The upper (staminate) spike is narrowly cylindrical, up to 12" long and 3/4" across, yellow or light brown, and densely covered with staminate flowers (each bearing a single quartet of pollen grains) and numerous hairs. The lower (pistillate) spike is also cylindrical, up to 18" long and 1.5" across, greenish or blackish brown in color, and densely covered with pistillate flowers and numerous hairs. The staminate spike withers soon after the pollen is released; the pistillate spike persists through the autumn. The fertile pistillate flowers consist of a 4 mm long stipe that includes the ovary and a single, slender 2.5 mm long style with a flattened stigma; both are surrounded by several hairs. (The Jepson Herbarium (https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=47466) has a nice illustration.) The flowers are wind pollinated. Some pistillate flowers are infertile and lack ovaries. Fertilized flowers produce a naked seed attached by a stalk to a tuft of white fibers; the seeds are dispersed by the wind. Common cattail can grow on wet soil or in water up to 1.5 feet deep. It often reproduces vegetatively from horizontal rhizomes buried in the soil/mud. The narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia) has narrower leaves (1/2"), smaller flower spikes (both in length and diameter) and the male flower spike is located a few inches above the female flower spike.

Typha

Typha latifolia

common cattail [Blooms: Jun-Aug]

The apex of the common mullein plant is a club-shaped flower spike 6-24" long, covered with scattered light-yellow flowers each 3/4" across. Individual flowers have five hairy, green sepals; five pale yellow petals (the lower two slightly larger than the upper three); five stamens with reddish-orange anthers; and a single green style with a heart- or disc-shaped stigma. The upper three stamens are shorter than the other two stamens and covered with white or yellow hairs; the lower two stamens are longer and largely hairless. The fruit is an oval, two-celled seed capsule, brown when mature, each cell filled with numerous (25-150) tiny orange to brown seeds. Common mullein is immediately recognizable and impossible to confuse with any other local plant.

Verbascum

Verbascum thapsus

common mullein [Blooms: Jun-Aug]