What's That Plant? (Natural History Society): Elecampane,False Nettle, Spanish Needle(Bidens bipinnate)

This was a mixed group of plants that had been puzzling which we shared with the group of naturalists.  I do not remember seeing the spanish needles before.  The group felt I was not guilty of bringing these in on my boots.  They were along the road where spread by any random car or truck could occur.

The Bidens is tall, 3-5 feet with multiple branches, leaves are hairless double or triple pinnate with irregular clefts.  There are the ray flowers typical of Aster family.  Roadside is a common habitat, along with disturbed fields and ditches.  Flowers and seeds provide food  for a wide assortment of insects and birds. The trident-shaped seeds are partially hidden but can be seem by breaking open the maturing flower.  It was difficult because the leave and flower are different from most Bidens(beggar tick ).

It is growing in a few places along the north side of Wagner Rd.

five petal flower of spanish needles, from Wikipedia

The tick seeds which will stick to clothing later in the year, presently these are hidden

The large plant with square stems(not a mint) and fern-like leaves, not as typical of most bidens  family.

The Elecampane or Inula also known as horse-heal, was growing along Charles Street in a group across from Sheppard Pratt.   The large leaves with the white mid vein looked like curly dock until it started blooming.  It also has the ray flowers of aster family.  It is about 4-5 feet tall. It is spread by the tears of Helen of Troy. It was widely used as a tonic and a cure for rabies.  It is native to Europe. It is both grown for its flowers and cursed as being a foreign invasive.  I am pretty sure it was not there last year but could have gone unnoticed.  Both will be making copious seeds so may become more evident.

large, slightly curled leave, looked like dock.

upper leaves are clasping, helped with ID

ray flowers typical of the aster family

We did a foraging walk where stinging nettle was suggested as a green with extraordinary nutritional value.  There is a large patch of true nettles down by Towson run and then this plant along Cloverlea Road.  But this version was not stinging, no hairs along the stem and leaves.  So this was keyed out as False Nettle, It has the square stem, the opposite leaves with long stems and the serrated oval leaves but no sting. I will ask Nick if it is equally nutritious.  One test is by touch using palm side thicker skin if sensitive to the sting, back of hand thinner sting if less sensitive.  Then apply a poultice of jewelweed for the sting.  I am fairly sensitive so used a magnifying glass.  It looks a little like clear weed, covered earlier but not the translucent stem.  The spikes green flowers are a characteristic.  You can find real stinging nettle blindfolded, not false nettle.

these little spike flowers are one element of the ID of false nettle

false nettle, looks a lot like stinging nettle.