Gutierrezia microcephala
Encyclopedia
Gutierrezia microcephala is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common names sticky snakeweed and threadleaf snakeweed. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of arid grassland and desert sand dune plant communities.
This is a small, highly branched subshrub growing to heights of around half a meter and forming a rounded thicket. New shoots and twigs are green to yellow in color, and older parts are brown and woody. Stems are lined with threadlike leaves, and along with the leaves, the stem tissue is photosynthetic
.
The tips of stem branches are occupied by inflorescence
s of 5 or 6 flowers. The knobby, waxy yellow flower buds open into cylindrical golden yellow flower heads
less than a centimeter long. Each head has only one or two protruding disc florets and one or two ray florets. Mature plants produce many fruits, each a tiny achene
with a very small pappus.
The plant can be an invasive weed on rangeland that has been overgrazed; when other native plants are trampled out this species takes hold in abundance. It is poisonous to livestock.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common names sticky snakeweed and threadleaf snakeweed. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of arid grassland and desert sand dune plant communities.
This is a small, highly branched subshrub growing to heights of around half a meter and forming a rounded thicket. New shoots and twigs are green to yellow in color, and older parts are brown and woody. Stems are lined with threadlike leaves, and along with the leaves, the stem tissue is photosynthetic
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
.
The tips of stem branches are occupied by inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s of 5 or 6 flowers. The knobby, waxy yellow flower buds open into cylindrical golden yellow flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
less than a centimeter long. Each head has only one or two protruding disc florets and one or two ray florets. Mature plants produce many fruits, each a tiny achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
with a very small pappus.
The plant can be an invasive weed on rangeland that has been overgrazed; when other native plants are trampled out this species takes hold in abundance. It is poisonous to livestock.