Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Tuesday - May 31, 2011
From: South Salem, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of small plant
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hi, Mr. Smarty Plants, We are doing a biology project where we have to identify certain plants found in our area. We encountered a infinity symbol-shaped light green plant, about 4 cm high, and light green. There are two leaves on the top making a T shape. We were thinking maybe it was a small sapling of some kind. Any idea as to what it could be? Thank you! From the frustrated biology studentsANSWER:
Dear Frustrated Biology Students: I am afraid you are going to continue to be frustrated because, from your description, I don't know what your plant could be. You should realize (and probably do) that tiny plants without flowers are incredibly hard to identify—especially from a description alone. Also, I'm not sure what about the plant is 'infinity shaped'. Is it the arrangement of the two leaves? Or, are they shaped like the letter T? From its size and the fact that it only has two leaves, it sounds like a seedling of some sort. There is a British database, Seedling Images, that shows hundreds of seedlings. Most are European species, but there is a good representation of North American species as well. Virginia Tech has a Weed Identification Guide that has seedling photographs for many of the species. If you have a photo of the plant, you could consider submitting it for identification to one of the forums listed on our Plant Identification pages.
More Plant Identification Questions
Identification of rose campion
August 04, 2007 - My friend shared a plant with me and I cannot identify it. She said that it was Rose Campriow? or something like this. It has very small pink/purplish blooms with grey green foliage. It is a perenn...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
November 02, 2010 - Near Abilene State Park, a plant's leaves turn purple and it seems to have a pineapple looking growth. We call it the purple pineapple?
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
April 05, 2009 - Today I was at Woodlawn Gardens, home of Nelly Custis, granddaughter to George Washington. There was a flowering plant there that had green (yes green) bell shaped flowers and very dark green leaves....
view the full question and answer
Identification of Canopy Plant
December 01, 2008 - I recently adopted a large house plant from a neighbor who moved away. He called it a 'Canopy Plant', but I'm having no luck with that name when I search for care tips. It seems to be in poor healt...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
April 24, 2010 - My son has some kind of plants, weeds, or ground cover in his yard that smell like spicy meat. When the wind blows the right way it smells like he's been grilling kolbasi on his deck/in his house. ...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
