Grindelia ciliata
Encyclopedia
Grindelia ciliata is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common names Spanish gold, goldenweed, and waxed goldenweed.
It is native to sections of the central United States, where it grows in prairies and grasslands, and in disturbed areas such as roadsides and along railroad tracks. It is an annual or biennial herb growing erect to a maximum height well exceeding one meter, its upper stem branching. It is hairless. The leaves are alternately arranged, their spiny-toothed blades longer than wide. The top of the stem is occupied by an inflorescence
of several flower heads
, their hemispheric bases up to 2.5 centimeters wide and lined with many small, green phyllaries
with curving tips. Each flower head may have up to 30 narrow, pointed yellow ray florets between 1 and 2 centimeters long around a center of yellow disc florets. The fruit is a brown achene
about a centimeter long including its long pappus
of bristles.
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 Spanish gold, goldenweed, and waxed goldenweed.
It is native to sections of the central United States, where it grows in prairies and grasslands, and in disturbed areas such as roadsides and along railroad tracks. It is an annual or biennial herb growing erect to a maximum height well exceeding one meter, its upper stem branching. It is hairless. The leaves are alternately arranged, their spiny-toothed blades longer than wide. The top of the stem is occupied by an 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...
of several flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
, their hemispheric bases up to 2.5 centimeters wide and lined with many small, green phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
with curving tips. Each flower head may have up to 30 narrow, pointed yellow ray florets between 1 and 2 centimeters long around a center of yellow disc florets. The fruit is a brown achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
about a centimeter long including its long pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of bristles.