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The National Park Service defines an exotic species as "those that occur in a given place as a result of direct or indirect, deliberate, or accidental actions by humans." This conservative definition of exotic species recognizes that parks are special places where natural "undisturbed" ecological communities are especially valued.
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Exotic plant species may dramatically change a visual landscape by completely dominating an area that once held a mix of native species. Some exotic plants thrive because they are poisonous to wildlife. One exotic found in the park area, common burdock, has even been documented to fatally trap hummingbirds with its sticky sap.
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Rocky Mountain National Park also has an active program to remove the most aggressively spreading "weedy" exotics. Park neighbors are also asked to guard against these plants on their own property, so that they are not a source for an invasion of park lands.
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All national parks strive to preserve resources "unimpaired for future generations". This mission includes protecting the ecological balance of lands in its care.
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Exotic Plants Reported from Rocky Mountain National Park
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Common Name
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Scientific Name
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Abundance
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Crested Wheatgrass
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Agropyron cristatum
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Unknown
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Quackgrass
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Agropyron repens
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Uncommon
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Redtop
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Agrostis gigantea
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Uncommon
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Pale alyssum
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Alyssum alyssoides
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Common
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Amaranth
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Amaranthus retroflexus
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Common
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Rag-weed, Skeletonleaf bursage
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Ambrosia tomentosa
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Uncommon
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Fiddleneck
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Amsinckia menziesii
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Common
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Mayweed Chamomile
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Anthemis cotula
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Common
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Common Burdock
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Arctium minus
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Uncommon
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Asparagus
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Asparagus officinalis
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Rare
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Yellow Rocket
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Barbarea vulgaris
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Uncommon
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Hoary Alyssum
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Berteroa incana
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Common
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Smooth Brome
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Bromopsis inermis
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Common
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Cheat Grass
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Bromus tectorum
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Common
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Smallseed Falseflax
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Camelina microcarpa
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Common
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Shepherd's Purse
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Capsella bursa-pastoris
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Common
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Musk Thistle
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Carduus nutans ssp. macrolepis
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Abundant
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Caraway
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Carum carvi
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Common
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Diffuse Knapweed
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Centaurea diffusa
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Uncommon
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Spotted Knapweed
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Centaurea maculosa
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Uncommon
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Mouseear chickweed
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Cerastium fontanum
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Unknown
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Ox-eye Daisy
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Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
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Rare
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Canada Thistle
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Cirsium arvense
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Common
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Bull Thistle
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Cirsium vulgare
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Rare
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Poison Hemlock
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Conium maculatum
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Uncommon
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Bindweed
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Convolvulus arvensis
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Rare
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Horseweed
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Conyza canadensis
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Common
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None
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Conyza schiedeana
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Uncommon
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Marsh Elder
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Cyclachaena xanthifolia
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Unknown
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Houndstongue
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Cynoglossum officinale
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Common
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Orchard Grass
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Dactylis glomerata
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Uncommon
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Tansy Mustard
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Descurainia sophia
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Common
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Deptford Pink
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Dianthus armeria
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Rare
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Yellow Whitlowort
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Draba nemorosa
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Common
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Filaree
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Erodium cicutarium
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Unknown
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Wormseed mustard
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Erysimum cheiranthoides ssp. altum
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Unknown
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Leafy spurge
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Euphorbia esula
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Uncommon
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Thyme leafed spurge
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Euphorbia serpyllifolia
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Unknown
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Sheep Fescue
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Festuca ovina
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Uncommon
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Baby's Breath
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Gypsophila paniculata
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Rare
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Dame's Rocket
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Hesperis matronalis
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No data
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Orange Hawkweed
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Hieracium aurantiacum
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Rare
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St. John's Wort
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Hypericum perforatum
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Unknown
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Beggar's-tick
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Lappula redowskii
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Unknown
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Peppergrass
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Lepidium densiflorum
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Uncommon
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Clasping Peppergrass
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Lepidium perfoliatum
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Uncommon
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Colorado Wild Rye
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Leymus cinereus
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Rare
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Dalmation Toadflax
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Linaria genistifolia ssp. dalmatica
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Common
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Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax
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Linaria vulgaris
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Abundant
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Scentless Chamomile
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Matricaria perforata
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Unknown
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Red Catch Fly,White Cockle
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Melandrium dioicum
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Uncommon
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White Sweet-clover
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Melilotus alba
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Common
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Yellow Sweet-clover
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Melilotus officinalis
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Common
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Field peppergrass
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Neolepia campestris
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Unknown
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Scotch thistle
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Onopordum tauricum
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Rare
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Reed Canary Grass
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Phalaroides arundinacea
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Uncommon
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Timothy
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Phleum pratense
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Common
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Annual Bluegrass
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Poa annua
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Unknown
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Bulbous Bluegrass
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Poa bulbosa
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Unknown
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Kentucky Bluegrass
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Poa pratensis
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Common
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Sulphur Cinquefoil
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Potentilla recta
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Uncommon
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Curly Dock
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Rumex crispus
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Common
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Russian-thistle
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Salsola australis
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Common
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Russian Thistle,Tumbleweed
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Salsola collina
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Common
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Giant salvinia
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Salvinia molesta
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Unknown
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Bouncingbet
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Saponaria officinalis
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Unknown
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Jim Hill Mustard
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Sisymbrium altissimum
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Common
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Marsh sowthistle,Swamp sow-thistle
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Sonchus uliginosus
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Uncommon
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Sand Spurry
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Spergularia rubra
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Unknown
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Common Dandelion
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Taraxacum officinale
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Abundant
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Fanweed
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Thlaspi arvense
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Unknown
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Salsify
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Tragopogon dubius
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Uncommon
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Wheat
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Triticum aestivum
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Unknown
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Great Mullein, Wooly Mullein
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Verbascum thapsus
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Common
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