Stats

Lifespan

Annual

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

Eurasia

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Spines

Status

Rare

About

This invasive weed thrives in dry, salty soils across Asia and Eastern Europe. Its five sharp, hooked spines latch onto passing fur to spread seeds across vast distances.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Caryophyllales

Family

Amaranthaceae

Genus

Bassia

Species

Bassia hyssopifolia