pineland three-seed mercury, Acalypha ostryifolia

Aliens come from everywhere. Sometimes Ohio. One day driving down Lenawee Hwy., I spotted something strange. This one was growing along the edge of a soy field. After an initial misstep in identification, it turned out to be pineland three-seed mercury, also called hornbeam copperleaf. Some of its relatives have reddish leaves. This was the first time it was reported from Michigan. It probably arrived as a seed contaminate. Pineland three-seed has been reported from AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV. Lenawee Co MI, 8/19/12.