You may send the pictures to me by e-mail.

Hahahaha! That implies that I can upload a digital image onto my computer...very funny.

I'll see if I can figure it out.

Meanwhile, nobody can guide me to a key?

I don't know of any online keys. There are, however, many good weed references. Take a look in your local library and see what they have. All the weed books I have do not have keys but leave the reader to flip through pages looking for a match. Finding and using keys can be difficult. Anything covering the whole US would either be huge or inadequate. Getting through a key without taking a misstep also can be a challenge.

What I use now (although it isn't free) is some weed ID software put out by the Weed Science Society of America. It allows you to enter information about any feature of the plant. Each time you enter information, the list of plants that match all of the characteristics gets shorter. Eventually you can narrow it down to one species or a few species to compare. It costs $50 but includes 1000 weeds (only $0.05/weed). For free references, the library is a good place to start, or ask at your local extension office what the best weed books are in your area.

Here is a link that might be useful: Weed ID Software

Regina,

Try this link.

A.J.

Here is a link that might be useful: Weed ID from Univ. of IL

Well,

I brought a specimen inside (instead of trying to go by memory) and after a couple of missteps I was able to use somebody's online key (I can't remember which) and I am now certain of the weed's I.D.

It's red sorrel.

Now, what the devil am I going to do about it? Pulling it just seems to make it multiply. I am loathe to spray the area, because that area has several things I'd like to keep. Wholesale smothering seems like it isn't a good approach for the same reason.

Am I going to have to kill the entire area?

Oh, and thanks very much for your help with this difficult problem. I have never encountered anything quite like this.