Gutierrezia texana
Family: Asteraceae
Plant Description: Annual, highly branched, usually resinous and sticky to 1 m high with lanceolate or linear leaves 1.5-3.5 cmlong, alternate. Flower heads solitary or in panicles, 8-15 mm wide, disks and rays yellow. Fruit an achene about 3 mm tall; pappus scales about the same length, forming a jagged crown.
Plant Trivia: A noxious weed and aggressive invader on overgrazed ranges, especially following droughts. There are several plants in our area called broomweed or snakeweed (See Dichotomous Key below).
Field Identification:
Occurrence: Common on sand, clay, or caliche in pastures, open areas and disturbed places.
Bloom Period: July-December
Plant Use: Resin content makes it useful as kindling for fires. The leaves are frequently eaten by white-tailed deer and cattle, and the seeds are eaten by bobwhite quail.
Key to species of Gutierrezia:
- Heads in corymbose clusters………………………………………………..G. sarothrae
Heads solitary or in open panicles…………………………………………………………..2
2. Pappus of disk flower about 1 mm long……………………G. spaerocephala
Pappus 0.7 mm long or less……………………………………………………….G. texana
stxflora 