Illinois Audubon Society Prairie Invasives Quiz

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1) This plant contains furanocoumarin, a chemical that makes your skin sensitive to UV light, causing an inflammatory response called phytophotodermatitis, leading to blisters.

a. Saponaria officinalis (soapwort)

18.3%

b. Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip)

67.4%

c. Ficaria verna (fig buttercup)

0.5%

d. Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge)

13.8%

2) Which of these plants’ seeds will remain viable in the soil the longest?

a. Melilotus alba (white sweet clover)

28.9%

b. Lespedeza cuneata (Sericea lespedeza)

15.5%

c. Lotus corniculatus (birdsfoot trefoil)

10.9%

d. Dipsacus fullonum (common teasel)

44.6%

3) Which of these plants is not a biennial?

a. Dipsacus fullonum (common teasel)

17.7%

b. Centaurea biebersteinii (spotted knapweed)

26.6%

c. Cirsium nutans (musk thistle)

15.2%

d. Conium maculatum (poison hemlock)

40.6%

4) True or false? Melilotus alba (white sweet clover) blooms and sets seed before Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover).

True

68.5%

False

31.5%

5) Which of these plants have seeds that are NOT wind dispersed?

a. Centaurea biebersteinii (spotted knapweed)

22.3%

b. Leucanthemum vulgare (oxeye daisy)

35.8%

c. Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

10.7%

d. Hesperis matronalis (dame’s rocket)

31.1%

6) Which invasive plant is toxic to livestock, wildlife and humans, notably killing Socrates?

a. Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge)

3.8%

b. Conium maculatum (poison hemlock)

88.9%

c. Securigera varia (crown vetch)

3.8%

d. Saponaria officinalis (soapwort)

3.4%

7) Which invasive plant’s scientific name references the pores found around it’s leaves margin?

a. Hypericum perforatum (common St. John’s wort)

63.1%

b. Lotus corniculatus (birdsfoot trefoil)

9.0%

c. Centaurea biebersteinii (spotted knapweed)

16.1%

d. Bromus intermis (smooth brome)

11.7%

8) This plant is a common invasive species found along roadsides that NEVER has a purple flower(s).

a. Securigera varia (crown vetch)

14.1%

b. Hesperis matronalis (dame’s rocket)

10.6%

c. Dipsacus fullonum (common teasel)

34.4%

d. Lotus corniculatus (birdsfoot trefoil)

40.8%

9) Which is not a common name for the species Lotus corniculatus?

a. Birdsfoot trefoil

19.1%

b. Bird’s-foot deervetch

15.8%

c. Eggs and bacon

43.0%

d. Yellow horned-star

22.2%

10) The common name of Saponaria officinalis, soapwort, refers to

a. the need for extra surfactant in herbicides to penetrate the waxy leaves.

8.0%

b. the bubbles created when mixing the sap with water.

56.9%

c. the slippery flower petals that prevent insects from escaping easily.

26.8%

d. the similar scent of the flowers to the popular soap, Irish Spring.

8.3%

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