Eupatorium cannabinum

Distinguishing Features: the pinkish flowers, and the deeply, palmately lobed leaves with broad leaflets are distinctive.

Habitat: open areas, adventive in only a few places, escaped from cultivation.

Geographic Distribution : local escape in places in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia as well as in British Columbia, perhaps sporadically occurring elsewhere.

Similar Species: none.

Molecular Data : samples of E. cannabinum differ in the ITS sequence from all species native to North America by a minimum of 34 bp changes and length differences. A diagnostic indel polymorphism (click to see pherogram) allows confirmation of a spontaneous hybrid between E. cannabinum and E. cannabinum showing that crosses are possible between the Eurasian and North American species.

Images, Click to Enlarge Return to species list