Odd Plant Found in Wetlands

Question: Yesterday, August 19, 2024, I came across an odd plant growing in the wetlands area of Lake Metropark's Hidden Lake.  I can only find this one specimen but obviously there could be more.  Please see attached photos.  INaturalist identified the plant as being in the genus Eryngium.  When googling Eryngium it came up as Erynguim and showed many different plants.  The plant closest to the one in the wetlands is Eryngium horridum but it is from southern South America.  Would you please identify it and let me know if it is native to Ohio wetlands?  What should I do if it is not native?

responder: Eugene Braig  Replied August 21, 2024, 6:22 PM EDT
response: Greetings Deirdra,  I don't have the confidence to positively identify these photos to species in the absence of flowers or a specimen in hand. I've thus written to the appointed state of Ohio botanist who is a colleague.  I'll let you know if/as I have reply.  However, my initial thought is that this may be Eryngium yuccifolium (or button eryngo), a species native to Ohio. I get the impression that, while foliage can be diverse, many Eryngium species can have leaves similar to those you've pictured here.  I make frequent use of several databases regarding the organisms that I encounter 'round and about. One is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's plants database. Here's that database's entry for Eryngium yuccifolium: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ERYU.  Note that there are several images near the top of this page that you can scroll through. Scroll to the very last—the line-drawing  illustration—and considered the leaf pictured there.  Do you feel it represents what you saw in the field?  Best, Eugene

responder: Eugene Braig  Replied August 22, 2024, 12:36 PM EDT
response: Rick Gardner, Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves' Chief Botanist replied.  He offers, "I agree with you that it is E. yuccifolium. I assume it was in a seed mix."  Best, Eugene

responder: The Question Asker Replied August 26, 2024, 1:47 PM EDT
response: Hello Eugene,        Thank you for your response.  I walked back to the wetlands today and took the pictures attached.  I did not see the flowers the first time - believe it or not.  Yes, I think you are correct in that it is Eryngium yuccifolium.           Your colleague thought it came from a seed pack, but this was at Hidden Lake Park in Leroy Township, in Lake County, not something I planted.  I took a good look around for more but it is the only specimen.       It is just odd that I've never saw it before because I walk in the wetlands frequently.  I wanted to make sure it was native to the area.   Thanks again, Deirdra     From: ask=<personal data hidden> on behalf of Ask Extension  Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2024 6:22 PM To: Deirdra Orosz  Subject: Re: Odd Plant Found in Wetlands (#0152217)    Dear Deirdra, here's the response to your question:  Greetings Deirdra,  I don't have the confidence to positively identify these photos to species in the absence of flowers or a specimen in hand. I've thus written to the appointed state of Ohio botanist who is a colleague.  I'll let you know if/as I have reply.  However, my initial thought is that this may be Eryngium yuccifolium (or button eryngo), a species native to Ohio. I get the impression that, while foliage can be diverse, many Eryngium species can have leaves similar to those you've pictured here.  I make frequent use of several databases regarding the organisms that I encounter 'round and about. One is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's plants database. Here's that database's entry for Eryngium yuccifolium: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ERYU. Note that there are several images near the top of this page that you can scroll through. Scroll to the very last—the line-drawing illustration—and considered the leaf pictured there:  Do you feel it represents what you saw in the field?  Best, Eugene    Need to reply to the expert? Click the link below, or simply reply to this email. Click here to view #0152217 Eugene Braig Program Director, Aquatic Ecosystems Ohio State University Extension School of Environment and Natural Resources 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210 Office:<personal data hidden> <personal data hidden> http://senr.osu.edu/our-people/eugene-braig My virtual office hours: https://senr.osu.edu/extensionoutreach/ponds-fisheries-aquatics/open-pond-clinic-zoom My listserv: https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/pond-management-news  We hope this response has sufficiently answered your questions. If not, please do not send another email. Instead, reply to this email or login to your account for a complete archive of all your support requests and responses.

responder: Eugene Braig  Replied August 26, 2024, 3:15 PM EDT
response: Excellent.  Thanks both for your vigilance and for following up, Deirdra.  If feel yourself to be a bit of an invasive-species watchdog on wetland habitats, you might find this text (of which I'm a co-editor) to be useful: https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/fish-management/OSU_AIS_FieldGuide_Web.pdf.  Hard copies are available for use in the field as well.  Best, Eugene

responder: The Question Asker Replied August 29, 2024, 4:40 PM EDT
response: Hi Eugene,         Thanks for the link to the Ohio Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species.  I will keep an eye out while walking the wetlands.   Regards, Deirdra   From: ask=<personal data hidden> on behalf of Ask Extension  Sent: Monday, August 26, 2024 3:15 PM To: Deirdra Orosz  Subject: Re: Odd Plant Found in Wetlands (#0152217)

responder: Eugene Braig  Replied August 29, 2024, 7:04 PM EDT
response: My pleasure.  Enjoy!  Eugene