Cardinal Meadowhawk vs Coastal Ragweed

Sympetrum illotum compared with Ambrosia hispida

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cardinal Meadowhawk	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Odonata (Odonata)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Libellulidae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Sympetrum	Ambrosia
Species	Sympetrum illotum	Ambrosia hispida

Conservation Status

Cardinal Meadowhawk

LC — Least Concern

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cardinal Meadowhawk	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cardinal Meadowhawk

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in Colombia.

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Cuba.

Cardinal Meadowhawk

The Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) is a species in the genus Sympetrum. It is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Coastal Ragweed

Coastal ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the coastal dunes, sandy beaches, and cays of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the wider Caribbean region. It grows in pioneer beach and dune vegetation, often forming spreading colonies that help stabilise loose coastal sands. Like other members of the genus Ambrosia, it bears inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in racemes; male flower heads produce wind-dispersed pollen that can trigger allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. The deeply lobed, hispid leaves are adapted to reflect intense solar radiation and tolerate salt spray. Coastal ragweed plays an ecological role in early dune succession, binding sand and enabling other plant species to establish. The genus is widespread globally, with several Ambrosia species considered noxious weeds in agricultural settings, though Ambrosia hispida is restricted to its native Caribbean coastal range. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, reflecting adequate population size across its Caribbean coastal distribution. Pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure poses a localised threat to dune communities it inhabits.