Xanthium strumarium var. canadense (Beach clotbur)

Xanthium strumarium L. var. canadense (Mill.) Torr. & A. Gray

Beach clotbur, Canada cocklebur, rough cocklebur

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Asterales	Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies
Family	Asteraceae	The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers
Genus	Xanthium	Cocklebur family, from Greek xanthos, “yellow”, possibly because a yellow dye can be prepared from this
Species	strumarium	From Latin strumosus, “swollen,” for the cockleburs
var.	canadense	“From Canada”

About plant names...

These plants are North American natives.

Identification: Cockleburs are 8-48" (20-121 cm) tall, and generally found near wet areas. Leaves are 2-6" (5-15 cm) long, on stalks about the same length, shaped like a cross between a heart and a maple leaf, with scalloped edges. Flowers are greenish, with male and female flowers on same plant. The oval-shaped burs that form from female flowerheads are the most distinctive identifying feature. They are ½-1½" (1.3-3.8 cm) long.