| Stickseed | |
|---|---|
| Seeds adhering to a boot and leg | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | (unplaced) |
| Family: | Boraginaceae |
| Genus: | Hackelia |
| Species: | H. virginiana |
| Binomial name | |
| Hackelia virginiana L. |
|
Hackelia virginiana, commonly known as Beggar's Lice[1][2], Sticktight or Stickseed,[2] is a biennial plant native to Eastern North America. It has simple, rough leaves and ribbed green stems.
The flowers are small and white, bourne in mid-late summer.[3] The seeds are burrs, and are very sticky. Often the entire plant will come out of the ground if the seeds catch on clothing or fur, so it is generally considered to be a pest plant.
During the plant's first year of growth it has only a basal rosette of foliage. The leaves are dark green and irregularly shaped.