ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Ambrosia artemisiifolia
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Ambrosia artemisiifolia
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    BITTERWEED
    COMMON RAGWEED
    ROMAN WORMWOOD
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: AMAR2
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     WETLAND
       SEEP & SPRING
         ACID GRAVEL SEEP
     PRIMARY
       GLADE
         LIMESTONE
     CULTURAL
       AGRICULTURAL FIELD
         CROPLAND
       SUCCESSIONAL FIELD
         ABANDONED CROPLAND
         ABANDONED FORAGELAND
       DEVELOPED LAND
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:
     Coastal Plain
        Cretaceous Hills
 
 COUNTIES:
   ADAMS           ALEXANDER       BOND            BOONE           BROWN
   BUREAU          CALHOUN         CARROLL         CASS            CHAMPAIGN
   CHRISTIAN       CLARK           CLAY            CLINTON         COLES
   COOK            CRAWFORD        CUMBERLAND      DEKALB          DEWITT
   DOUGLAS         DUPAGE          EDGAR           EDWARDS         EFFINGHAM
   FAYETTE         FORD            FRANKLIN        FULTON          GALLATIN
   GREENE          GRUNDY          HAMILTON        HANCOCK         HARDIN
   HENDERSON       HENRY           IROQUOIS        JACKSON         JASPER
   JEFFERSON       JERSEY          JO DAVIESS      JOHNSON         KANE
   KANKAKEE        KENDALL         KNOX            LAKE            LASALLE
   LAWRENCE        LEE             LIVINGSTON      LOGAN           MCDONOUGH
   MCHENRY         MCLEAN          MACON           MACOUPIN        MADISON
   MARION          MARSHALL        MASON           MASSAC          MENARD
   MERCER          MONROE          MONTGOMERY      MORGAN          MOULTRIE
   OGLE            PEORIA          PERRY           PIATT           PIKE
   POPE            PULASKI         PUTNAM          RANDOLPH        RICHLAND
   ROCK ISLAND     ST. CLAIR       SALINE          SANGAMON        SCHUYLER
   SCOTT           SHELBY          STARK           STEPHENSON      TAZEWELL
   UNION           VERMILION       WABASH          WARREN          WASHINGTON
   WAYNE           WHITE           WHITESIDE       WILL            WILLIAMSON
   WINNEBAGO       WOODFORD
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (fibrous)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate     Opposite
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Lobed
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Lanceolate   Ovate
    INFLORESCENCE:   Raceme  Spike  Head
    FLOWER MEROUS:  5
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Incomplete  (no sepals)
    FLOWER COLOR:   Yellow   Green
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Achene
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Stems erect, much branched, rough pubescent.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Common
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Annual
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      8         MONTH END-     10
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Unisexual   -monoecious
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Probably not part of any native community, but rather in weedy situations
     following human distrurbance; eroded broken ground; roadsides; along railroads.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     DISTURBANCE INDICATOR:   No
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           No data entered
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   No data entered
          NEUTRAL pH     No data entered    ACIDIC SOIL    No data entered
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS No data entered    GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE Good               STEEP SLOPES   Fair
     HABITAT:   Moist   Dry
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   Wind
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     ALLERGENIC:  Yes
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     One of the most important hayfever plants.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:
     FOOD VALUE:
         DEER VALUE:  Unknown
         UPLAND GAME VALUE:   -   Fruit
         WATERFOWL VALUE:  Unknown
         SMALL NON-GAME BIRD VALUE:  Unknown
         SMALL MAMMAL VALUE:  Unknown
         AQUATIC MAMMAL VALUE:  Unknown
         FISH VALUE:  Unknown
     COVER VALUE:  No data entered
 
     WILDLIFE COMMENTS:
         Fruits often eaten by wild turkeys.
 
 
 LIVESTOCK PALATABILITY DATA:
     CATTLE FORAGE: No data    SHEEP FORAGE:  No data    HORSE FORAGE:  No data
     GOAT FORAGE:   No data    ENERGY VALUE:  Low        PROTEIN VALUE: Low
     POISONOUS (LIVESTOCK):   No
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Injected plant causes a nauseating taste and effect in cattle.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:
     WEEDINESS:   Economic
 
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Agricultural Experiment Station.  1981.  Weeds of the North Central States.
     Bulletin 772.  College of Agriculture, University of Illinois at Urbana-
     Champaign, Urbana.  303 pp.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Muenscher, W.C. 1975. Poisonous Plants of the United States.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Ambrosia artemisiifolia
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015