![20140917_175954[1]](https://u.osu.edu/dassler.1/files/2014/09/20140917_1759541-2031bk5.jpg)
Genus/Species: Dahlia pinnata
Common name: Garden Dahlia
Plant Family: Asteraceae
Introduced from Mexico
Field Notes: Found in the Oletangey Commons apartment complex, it was located in a cultivated garden surrounded by other flowers and weeds. It was planted in rocky soil. This flower can be identified by its brightly colored petals. It also has many petals that surround the center of the flower. The center of the flower also has little flower-like structures sticking out of it. This specimen was found on September 16th 2014.
![20140917_180846[1]](https://u.osu.edu/dassler.1/files/2014/09/20140917_1808461-tp4qn7.jpg)
Genus/Species: Cirsium vulgare
Common Name: Bull thistle
Plant Family: Asteraceae
Introduced plant native to Europe, Asia, and Africa
Field Notes: Located in the Oletangey Commons apartment complex, it was found in a ravine/prairie type of environment. It was surrounded by many other types of weeds and other herbaceous plants. The soil was dust like with some rocks sprawled throughout.This plant was located on September 16th,2014.
![20140917_182246[1]](https://u.osu.edu/dassler.1/files/2014/09/20140917_1822461-1c7c83p.jpg)
Genus/Species: Pinus virginiana
Common Name: Virginia Pine
Plant Family: Pinaceae
Native to Ohio
Field Notes: Also found in the Olentangy Commons apartment complex, It was an isolated tree surrounded by manicured grass. It had it’s own separate plot and was nowhere near other trees. The conifer was planted in soil with litter from the tree spread throughout. It was located on September 17th, 2014
The picture of the Virgina pine really allows you to see the cones. As exposed seeds it is really an interesting evolutionary development. It being found in a complex however is a limiting factor. Awesome picture
I find distinguishing between pines to be quite tricky sometimes because they all look fairly similar. A good characteristic to look at are the number of needles per fascicle. Pinus sylvestris has two yellow-green needles per fascicle that appear to “twist” and diverge in different directions from each other. It also has orange/brown or cinnamon colored scaly bark. This type of pine looks very simply to Pinus sylvestris (scotch pine) which also has two needles per fascicle, however they are more blue/green. The bark has similar colors but has more ridges and furrows in the lower part of the trunk and is always orange and peeling on the upper part.