Biology and Identification of Sunflowers: Interpreting Asteraceae

Late summer brings goldenrods, asters, sunflowers, ironweeds, coneflowers and many more of the Southern Appalachians’ composites into flower, and they are among the most conspicuous and most often misidentified plants of the season. In this hands-on course you will learn the terminology of the composite head, the traits that separate the tribes and genera of Asteraceae, and how to key out difficult species such as Helianthus, Solidago and Symphyotrichum. Daily field trips and lab sessions with live and pressed material will build your skills and confidence with one of the largest families in our flora.

With Dr. Joey Shaw, UT-Chattanooga.