Alien Plant

I have no idea what this plant is but I found a small field of it growing by the side of the highway during a photo drive I was on. And the only place this plant was growing was inside a patch of field that was covered in a white powder that the wind was blowing across the highway. There was VERY little other plant life within this area. It was quite surreal. via 500px ift.tt/1iB637U

Done