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- Dittrichia graveolens
Dittrichia graveolens — stinkwort
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Facts
Stinkwort was first collected in Connecticut in the 1930s and has since become invasive in California. It can cause contact dermatitis, and has caused death in cattle that have eaten it, when the barbed bristles on the seeds punctured their stomach lining. It is native to southern Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Connecticut
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- yellow
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 10–70 mm
- Flower head width
- 6–15 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 11-20
- 6-10
-
Flowers
- Bract color
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces, with hairs having glands (a swelling at the tip of the hair)
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
- the main bracts are of a different shape than the given options
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip color
- the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
- Bract tip extension appearance
- NA
- Bract tip extension edge
- there are no projections from the bract tips
- Bract tip orientation
- the tips of the bracts curve outwards and downwards from the plant
- Bract tip shape
-
- the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
- the tips of the bracts are acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
- Bract width
- 0.5–1
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- pink to red
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
-
- 4
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 11-20
- 6-10
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head position
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- Flower head shape
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- Flower head width
- 6–15 mm
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 6–8 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
- Inflorescence stem
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, and the hairs have glands on them
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary profile
- in profile, the ovary is roughly elliptical (widest in the middle, tapering to both ends)
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 11-15
- 16-25
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 2–7 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Width of flower head base
- 3–10 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1.5–2 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- the pappus hairs are attached to one another near the base
- Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
- Seed hair tuft length
- 3–5 mm
- Seed hairs uniform
- all the pappus hairs are approximately the same length
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
-
Glands or sap
- Ovary glands
- there are glands on the ovary surface
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips
- Leaf blade length
- 10–70 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 1–10 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Connecticut
- Specific habitat
- man-made or disturbed habitats
-
Scent
- Plant odor
-
- the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin
- the plant has an unpleasant or repellant odor
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem internode hair direction
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
- Stem internode hair type
- at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Dittrichia graveolens (L.) W. Greuter E
stinkwort. Erigeron graveolens L.; Inula graveolens (L.) Desf. • CT. Open, disturbed, sandy or gravelly soil.
Native to North America?
No
Synonyms
- Erigeron graveolens L.
- Inula graveolens (L.) Desf.