Rebuilding Earth – Plants of the Post Anthropocene

Introduction to the Weeds

The likelihood of an impoverished Earth of weeds and remnant human societies is growing stronger every day now. Human population, climate change, toxic pollution, and dwindling resources needed by living beings are all reaching points of no return. In a few years now, it will be too late to prevent global catastrophe.


The ability of weeds to reach and thrive in damaged and inimical environments suggests that they may be the principal survivors of the impacts to nature by human overpopulation, pollution, and climate change. In this book, I attempt to answer two questions:

  • Which weeds are present in Dewey-Humboldt (D-H) now or will arrive in the future? Answering this question requires that we can identify the weeds. Drawings and descriptions of the weeds take up most of the pages. The descriptions contain answers to the second question:
  • Are the weeds of D-H valuable resources for wildlife and people? I reviewed the literature and added symbols for edible and medicinal weeds.

The inspiration for the book is a fascination with the intricate shapes and dynamic features of the weeds. I warn you that there is a danger that if you look closely at these creatures, you might never turn away.

D-H Weed Links:

The first weed is:

Weed No. 1. Alkali Heliotrope (also known as Quail’s Delight).


Alkali Heliotrope (Quail’s Delight)
(Heliotropium curassavicum var. oculatum ).





2. Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)

3. Annual Yellow Sweetclover (Melilotus indicus)

4. Barestem Larkspur (Delphinium scaposum)

5. Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)