Home Asteraceae Sonchus

Sonchus arvensis L.

Common Name: FIELD SOW-THISTLE, PERENNIAL SOW-THISTLE
Coefficient of Conservatism: *
Coefficient of Wetness: 3
Wetness Index: FACU
Physiognomy: Ad P-Forb

Roadsides, railroads; meadows, shores, disturbed wetlands and dikes; fields, weedy among crops and in gardens; disturbed sites, including fill, parking lots, dumps. Collected at Lansing (Ingham Co.) as long ago as 1867, but not gathered again until the 1890’s in several counties (Bay, St. Clair, Tuscola, Wayne); now all too common throughout the state.

In S. arvensis subsp. arvensis, the involucres and pedicels bear numerous stiff hairs tipped with dark glands. More common in Michigan is subsp. uliginosus (M. Bieb.) Nyman (var. glabrescens Günther, Grab. & Wimmer), which lacks the glandular hairs and may average slightly smaller involucres.

R. W. Smith

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Counties
Alcona
Alger
Allegan
Alpena
Antrim
Arenac
Baraga
Barry
Bay
Benzie
Berrien
Calhoun
Charlevoix
Cheboygan
Chippewa
Clinton
Crawford
Delta
Dickinson
Eaton
Emmet
Gladwin
Gogebic
Grand Traverse
Gratiot
Hillsdale
Houghton
Huron
Ingham
Iosco
Iron
Isabella
Kalamazoo
Kent
Keweenaw
Lake
Lapeer
Leelanau
Lenawee
Livingston
Mackinac
Macomb
Marquette
Mason
Mecosta
Menominee
Missaukee
Monroe
Montcalm
Montmorency
Muskegon
Newaygo
Oakland
Oceana
Ontonagon
Oscoda
Ottawa
Presque Isle
Roscommon
Saginaw
Sanilac
Schoolcraft
Shiawassee
St. Clair
Tuscola
Van Buren
Washtenaw
Wayne

Citation:
MICHIGAN FLORA ONLINE. A. A. Reznicek, E. G. Voss, & B. S. Walters. February 2011. University of Michigan. Web. March, 17, 2025
https://lsa-miflora-p.lsait.lsa.umich.edu/#/record/473