Invasive Species B/C

[John Richardsim]

For asian carps will we have to be able to identify between the four?

Yes. Some event supervisors may accept the term Asian carp as an answer, but I'm guessing the vast majority will want the specific species.

[QuantumTech]

Does anyone know how to differentiate between a hairy whitetop ( Lepidium appelianum) and a whitetop (Lepidium draba)?

[John Richardsim]

Does anyone know how to differentiate between a hairy whitetop ( Lepidium appelianum) and a whitetop (Lepidium draba)?

The main difference (and far as I know, the only difference) is the seed pods. The best way is to know them by their other common names, whitetop=heart-podded whitetop and hairy whitetop=globe-podded whitetop.

See page 3 of this document: http://www.msuextension.org/invasivepla ... itetop.pdf
(Note: they use old taxonomy for the two: ("Globe-podded whitetop (Cardaria pubescens)"=HAIRY WHITETOP) ("Heart-podded whitetop (C. draba)"=WHITETOP))

Also see the 3rd and 4th images of this page: http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/weedboard/o ... itetop.htm

Better hope they give you the right picture, though.

Edit: and also looks like that first link no longer exists...

[gavinnupp]

Taxonomy events like invasive love to give you highly compressed and distorted pictures from google images of the wrong species.

[John Richardsim]

Taxonomy events like invasive love to give you highly compressed and distorted pictures from google images of the wrong species.

Last weekend I was trying to update one of my quizlet sets with the species added to the Michigan list this year, one of which being giant knotweed. I found one picture on some Minnesota site that was labelled as giant knotweed...it was an image from bugwood rotated 180 degrees, and when I looked up the ID number on bugwood, it was clearly labelled Japanese knotweed...

[QuantumTech]

Also how do you guys differentiate between Japanese Stiltgrass and Water Spinach. For the first practice exam under Invasive Species created by Piggy, Station 16 is identified as water spinach in the answer key but I identified it as japanese stiltgrass... Am I correct or is there something that distinguishes water spinach from japanese stiltgrass?

[Jaol]

The shape of the leaf is wider at the base for Water Spinach, however, Stilt grasses leaves are more elongate it seems. If it makes you feel better, I would have prob gotten it wrong too. I mean... it is on the ground. Just now I realized that, Water Spinach can be grown on the ground. My guess is it prefers similar,wet environments like Stiltgrass however.

[SOnerd]

Just found this gem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuJQL8GBqY

[leinad520]

So I memorized all of the scientific names of all the things on the list last year right down to spelling.. and I'm wondering of graders would take off points for spelling the scientific names incorrectly? Anyone who made tests or know of someone who made an invasives or taxonomy test who would take points off for spelling scientific names incorrectly?

They may give you half points for incorrect spelling, this may include capitalization of the words as well. However, since you have a binder, I would recommend putting a list of the species, that comes with the common and scientific names of the species, this way, you'll be 100% sure.

[gavinnupp]

This season, I'm experimenting by illustrating my binder instead of including photo id's. Seems to really be helping with identification. We'll see how this works at invites...