Gutierrezia sarothrae | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Gutierrezia |
Species: | G. sarothrae |
Binomial name | |
Gutierrezia sarothrae | |
Synonyms [1] [2] | |
List of Synonyms
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Gutierrezia sarothrae is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names broom snakeweed, broomweed, snakeweed, and matchweed. It is a subshrub native to much of the western half of North America, from western Canada to northern Mexico, and can be found in a number of arid, grassland, and mountain habitats. It can be toxic to livestock in large quantities, due mainly to the presence of saponins.
The species was utilized by various Native American groups for medicinal and other purposes.
Gutierrezia sarothrae is a perennial subshrub that ranges from 20 to 100 centimetres (8 to 39+1⁄2 inches) in height. The stems are green to brown, bushy, and herbaceous, and branch upwards from a woody base. [3] The stems die back during dormancy, giving the plant its broom-like appearance. [3] They range from smooth to having some short hairs, and may be resinous and therefore sticky when touched. [4] As the stems are about the same length, this causes the plant to often appear domed or fan-shaped when flowering. [5] The leaves are alternate and linear, and 5 to 63 millimetres (1⁄4 to 2+1⁄2 in) long and 1 to 3 mm (1⁄16 to 1⁄8 in) wide. [4] [6] The lower leaves are usually shed before the plant flowers. [5] During its first year of growth, the plant produces a long, woody taproot, and numerous lateral roots as the plant matures. [7]
Dense clusters of 3–7 small, yellow ray and 2–6 tiny disk flowers form in clusters, 3–6 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) in length, [6] at the end of the stems from mid-July to September. [3] [5] [8] The flowers are pollinated by various insects, resulting in an oval fruit covered with chaffy scales. [3] The plant reproduces from seeds, which are light, densely hairy, and wind-dispersed. [3] [7] A single plant is capable of producing over 9,000 seeds annually, although most ripe seeds fall beneath the parent plant. [7] Seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years; under laboratory conditions seeds have remained viable for at least two years. [7]
G. sarothrae is commonly confused with rabbitbrush, but can be distinguished by the presence of ray flowers, which rabbitbrush plants do not have. [3] It is also similar to littlehead snakeweed ( G. microcephala ), which has only 1–3 of both ray and disk flowers. [6]
The common name matchweed refers to the appearance of the stems and flower heads to matches, whereas broomweed refers to its use as a broom and snakeweed refers to its medicinal use to treat snakebites. [6] It has also been called 'turpentine weed' due to its odour. [6]
A native North American plant, G. sarothrae is found throughout west-central Canada (the Prairie Provinces, the western and central United States (the Great Plains and regions to the west), and northern Mexico as far south as Zacatecas and Baja California Sur. [9] [10] Due to its efficient water use and drought tolerance, it is able to survive in arid and semi-arid sites, such as rocky plains, dry foothills, ridgetops, mountain slopes, and in semi-desert valleys. [3] [7] The species is very adaptable, and can be found in a variety of ecoregions, including pinyon–juniper woodlands, desert shrublands, and sagebrush-grasslands. [7] It can survive in a wide variety of soil types with full sun and good drainage, [4] but growth is reportedly best in clay loams of alluvial slopes, and shallow, rocky, or sandy soil, and is poor in saline or alkaline soils. [7]
G. sarothrae is a poor quality browse for most large ungulates. [11] It is important to pronghorn antelope in some areas, especially during spring and summer, and can comprise up to 28% of the pronghorn antelope's diet. [4] The plant is of little value to cattle and horses, but can be a fair quality winter browse for domestic sheep when there is little access to green forage. [3]
Under natural conditions, G. sarothrae quickly invades disturbed areas, and can minimize soil erosion; for example, it is reportedly able to stabilize loose windblown soils in mesquite sand dunes. [12] It has been rated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as low to medium for erosion control potential, low for short-term revegetation potential, and low to medium for long-term revegetation potential. [13]
G. sarothrae is one of the most widespread and damaging rangeland weeds, [14] and can displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. [4] This displacement may be caused by livestock grazing, drought, or fire suppression. The plant quickly invades overgrazed rangeland, as cattle often leave it untouched while overgrazing grasses. [15] Because of this, an abundance of G. sarothrae is considered to be an indicator of rangeland deterioration. It is a fire-intolerant species, and is severely harmed or killed by fire; immediately after a fire it may be completely removed from an area. [16] However, seeds can remain viable if in the soil, often causing G. sarothrae densities to increase after a fire. [4] This may make it necessary to burn at five to ten year intervals in order to reduce its populations. [17]
Herbicide effectiveness is variable; when herbicide application is effective, populations are controlled for up to five years. [15] Mechanical control is generally ineffective; hoeing the plants just below the soil can be effective, but may be impractical in stony soil. [15] Biological control has also been studied, with a combination of an Argentinean root-boring weevil, Heilipodus ventralis, and an Argentinean moth root-borer, Carmenta haematica , found to be an effective method of control. [14]
G. sarothrae can be toxic to domestic sheep, goats, and cattle when consumed in large quantities, [11] although domestic goats are moderately resistant to its effects. [18] Its toxicity is due primarily to saponins, which can cause illness, death, or abortion, as well as to alkaloids, terpenes, and flavonols in the plant. [19] The species is also a facultative absorber of selenium, which can cause illness or death in large amounts. [3] [20] As little as 9 kilograms (20 pounds) of fresh G. sarothrae consumed by cattle in seven days can cause miscarriages, and in cattle, sheep, and goats consuming ten to 20% of their body weight in two weeks can cause death. [21] Toxicity is generally higher during periods of rapid growth, such as early leaf development, and when grown on sandy rather than on calcareous or clay soils. [11] [21]
G. sarothrae was used by the Native Americans of the Great Plains for various reasons. [3] [4] [5] The Comanche bound the stems together to make brooms. The Blackfoot used the roots in an herbal steam as a treatment for respiratory ailments. A decoction of the plant was used by the Lakota to treat colds, coughs, and dizziness, while a concentrate made from the flowers was used by the Dakota as a laxative for horses. The Navajo rubbed the ashes of the plant on their bodies to treat headaches and dizziness, and also applied the chewed plant to wounds, snakebites, and areas swollen by insect bites and stings. The Zuni used an infusion of the blossoms as a diuretic and to "make one strong in the limbs and muscles", [22] and an infusion of the whole plant was used topically for muscle aches. [23]
Asclepias tuberosa, commonly known as butterfly weed, is a species of milkweed native to eastern and southwestern North America. It is commonly known as butterfly weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar.
Dalea searlsiae, commonly known as Searls' prairie clover, is a perennial legume species belonging to the Dalea genus. The species is found through arid regions of the southwestern United States and can survive in low moisture conditions. The species forms symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that can improve soil nutrient levels. Its large inflorescence attracts many species of pollinators, and it lacks toxins found in similar legume species. As a result, the species has been considered for use in rangeland restoration and revegetation projects.
Ericameria nauseosa, commonly known as chamisa, rubber rabbitbrush, and gray rabbitbrush, is a shrub in the sunflower family (Aster) found in the arid regions of western North America.
Geum triflorum, commonly known as prairie smoke, old man's whiskers, torchflower, three-sisters, long-plumed purple avens, lion's beard, or three-flowered avens, is a spring-blooming perennial herbaceous plant of the Rosaceae family. It is a hemiboreal continental climate species that is widespread in colder and drier environments of western North America, although it does occur in isolated populations as far east as New York and Ontario. It is particularly known for the long feathery plumes on the seed heads that have inspired many of the regional common names and aid in wind dispersal of its seeds.
Gutierrezia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to western North America and western South America. Plants of this genus are known generally as snakeweeds or matchweeds. Some species have been called greasewood. They are annual or perennial plants or subshrubs with yellow or white flowers.
Gutierrezia californica is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names San Joaquin snakeweed and California matchweed. It is native to California and Arizona in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. It grows in sunny sandy or rocky areas in grasslands, scrub, or open woodlands.
Gutierrezia microcephala is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names sticky snakeweed, threadleaf snakeweed, threadleaf broomweed, and smallhead snakeweed. It is a subshrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, and can be found in arid grassland and desert sand dune habitats. It can be toxic to livestock in large quantities, due to the presence of saponins and high concentrations of selenium.
Berteroa incana is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its common names include hoary alyssum, false hoary madwort, hoary berteroa, and hoary alison. It is a biennial herb native to Eurasia and it has been introduced to western Europe and North America. It is listed as an invasive noxious weed in some areas of United States and Canada
Balsamorhiza sagittata is a North American species of flowering plant in the tribe Heliantheae of the family Asteraceae known by the common name Arrowleaf Balsamroot. Also sometimes called Oregon sunflower, it is widespread across western Canada and much of the western United States.
Thurovia is a genus of Texan plants in the tribe Astereae within the family Asteraceae.
Astragalus holmgreniorum is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names Holmgren milk-vetch and paradox milk-vetch. It is native to a tiny section of desert shrub woodland on the border between Utah and Arizona, in the far northern Mojave Desert. There are six populations remaining. It is a federally listed endangered species.
Dalea purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known as purple prairie clover. Native to central North America, purple prairie clover is a relatively common member of the Great Plains and prairie ecosystems. It blooms in the summer with dense spikes of bright purple flowers that attract many species of insects.
Artemisia filifolia, known by common names including sand sagebrush, sand sage and sandhill sage, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family. It is native to North America, where it occurs from Nevada east to South Dakota and from there south to Arizona, Chihuahua, and Texas.
Artemisia frigida is a widespread species of flowering plant in the aster family, which is known as the sunflower family. It is native to Europe, Asia, and much of North America. In parts of the north-central and northeastern United States it is an introduced species.
Eriogonum visheri is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names Dakota wild buckwheat and Visher's buckwheat. It is native to the Great Plains in the United States, where it is known from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.
Broomweed is a common name for several species of plants, including:
Greasewood is a common name shared by several plants:
Iris tridentata is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Tripetalae. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the Southeastern United States. It has a cord-like rhizome, bright green leaves, long stem and fragrant flowers in spring in shades of blue.
Centaurea stoebe, the spotted knapweed or panicled knapweed, is a species of Centaurea native to eastern Europe, although it has spread to North America, where it is considered an invasive species. It forms a tumbleweed, helping to increase the species' reach, and the seeds are also enabled by a feathery pappus.
Asteromyia gutierreziae is a species of gall midges in the family Cecidomyiidae.