Volunteer naturalists confirm scrappy weed thriving in LA County
iNaturalist: haileymercer
Urban Ecology
That tall, wispy weed pushing through sidewalk cracks or your garden bed's neglected corner is horseweed, and tracking where it pops up helps scientists map how tough, fast-spreading plants move through cities.
Someone out exploring in Los Angeles County noticed a plant called horseweed and snapped a photo to share on iNaturalist, an app where people document the wildlife and plants around them. Other users looked at the photo and agreed on the identification, which bumped it up to 'research-grade,' meaning scientists can actually use this sighting as reliable data.
Key Findings
Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis) was observed and photographed in Los Angeles County, California
The observation reached 'research-grade' status, meaning the species identification was confirmed by community consensus
The record contributes to citizen-science biodiversity databases tracking the distribution of common weedy species
chevron_right Technical Summary
A gardener spotted and confirmed horseweed, a common wild plant, growing in Los Angeles County, and other naturalists verified the identification to 'research-grade' status.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
horseweed (Erigeron canadensis) observed in Los Angeles County, US-CA, US
Research-grade observation of horseweed in Los Angeles County, US-CA, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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