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↑Recently Updated Plant Articles

White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)

Updated September 23rd, 2026

A perennial native to rich deciduous forests of Eastern North America.

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Sweet Wood Reed (Cinna arundinacea)

Updated August 22nd, 2026

A tall perennial grass native to Eastern North America, usually found in wet to moist wooded areas.

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Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Updated August 19th, 2026

An atypical Rudbeckia, a tall rhizomatous perennial with large yellow flowers, found in moist, partly sunny habitats.

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↑Recently Updated Ecoregion Articles

North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Southeastern USA Plains » Piedmont »

Talladega Upland

Updated August 11th, 2026

A small, rugged, forested region crossing the border of Alabama and Georgia, sparsely populated and with much public land.

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North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Ozark, Oauchita-Appalachian Forests »

Central Appalachians

Updated July 3rd, 2026

An interior region of the Appalachians reaching to higher elevations than areas to the east and west; mostly forested.

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North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Ozark, Oauchita-Appalachian Forests » Blue Ridge »

Sauratown Mountains

Updated June 9th, 2026

A mountain range in North Carolina, geologically part of the Blue Ridge, yet isolated within the piedmont.

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↑Recently Updated ID / Comparison Guides (See All)

Slender Threeseed Mercury (Acalypha gracilens) vs. One-Seeded Mercury (Acalypha monococca)

Updated October 8th, 2026

These two species are easily confused in their small range of overlap from southeast MO and southern IL southwest to east TX. They are reliably distinguished by count of seeds per bract, and they have subtle differences in leaf margin serrations and leaf tips that can ID some plants as A. gracilens. A. monococca ranges farther northwest and prefers slightly sunnier, drier conditions, higher soil pH, and tends to occur on persistently-open sites. A. gracilens ranges farther east, tolerates more acidic soil, and is found on slightly richer sites on disturbed ground.

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White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) vs. Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra)

Updated September 28th, 2026

These species are frequently confused, especially in the rare cases when A. rubra has white fruit or A. pachypoda has red fruit, or when fruit is not present. They can be easily distinguished by fruit pedicels, and they also have average differences in pubescence on leaf undersides, pistil dimensions, petal shape, and inflorescence shape. Where their ranges overlap, A. pachypoda ranges much farther south, is more limited to deciduous forests, and prefers near-neutral loamy soil. A. rubra ranges much farther west and into mixed (conifer-deciduous) forest, prefers slightly more acidic soil, and is more tolerant of sand or clay in the soil. These species can hybridize to form Louis's baneberry (Actaea ×ludovicii), so ambiguous individuals may be hybrids.

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Tall Rattlesnakeroot (Nabalus altissimus) vs. Three-leaved Rattlesnake Root (Nabalus trifoliolatus)

Updated August 27th, 2026

These two species are visually similar and frequently confused. They can be distinguished by flowers, lower leaf shape, and with some effort, by seeds. N. altissimus ranges much farther west, farther north, and slightly farther south, and prefers richer, shadier habitats. N. trifoliatus extends farther east (closer to the coast) in the central portions of its range, prefers sunnier habitats and tolerates more soil acidity and some salinity.

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