In field milkwort, the showy parts are the pink-purple bracts, which are leaves modified to attract pollinators. The actual flowers are yellow and small, but worth checking out with a hand lens. Look for milkworts in sandy prairies and savannas. Photo by Joe Nowak.

Botanists use 10-power hand lenses to key down unfamiliar species of plants. Many of the Chicago region’s important plant discoveries have been made by volunteers having fun, exploring little lost wildernesses. Photo by Joe Nowak.