Field Guide

Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants

Showing 1 - 2 of 2 results
Media
Photo of purple prairie clover, closeup of flowerhead
Species Types
Scientific Name
Dalea purpurea (formerly Petalostemon purpureum)
Description
Purple prairie clover is a legume of prairies, glades, and other open places. Its unusual flowering heads ringed with rose-magenta flowers and its attractive foliage add special interest in the home garden.
Media
Common bladderwort blooming in shallow water
Species Types
Scientific Name
Utricularia spp.
Description
Bladderworts are Missouri’s only carnivorous plants. They are branching, rootless, aquatic plants that tend to grow in thick, floating mats under the water. The leaves are threadlike. The flowers resemble tiny yellow snapdragons and are held above the water.
See Also

About Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants in Missouri

A very simple way of thinking about the green world is to divide the vascular plants into two groups: woody and nonwoody (or herbaceous). But this is an artificial division; many plant families include some species that are woody and some that are not. The diversity of nonwoody vascular plants is staggering! Think of all the ferns, grasses, sedges, lilies, peas, sunflowers, nightshades, milkweeds, mustards, mints, and mallows — weeds and wildflowers — and many more!