| Gutierrezia microcephala | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Tribe: | Astereae |
| Genus: | Gutierrezia |
| Species: | G. microcephala |
| Binomial name | |
| Gutierrezia microcephala (DC.) Gray |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Brachyris microcephala |
|
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 inflorescences 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.