Native Plants

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Monday - November 07, 2011

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of yellow blooming plants near Temple, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

This question may be a challenge. We noticed fields of yellow blooming plants in the fields east of Temple. They appear to be about 4 inches tall. (we were on a bus and could not stop to look closer). Someone we asked said they are a weed and begin with the letter "R". Any ideas? Thanks!

ANSWER:

This sounds like Amphiachyris dracunculoides (Prairie broomweed). Their maximum height is usually about 8 to 15 inches but during our extended drought they would tend to be on the short side and, seen from a bus going down the road, they might appear shorter than they actually are. Their tendency is to fill a field with yellow blossoms when they bloom in the fall, especially in overgrazed fields. Here are more photos and information form Kansas Wildflowers. There are other small yellow flowers [e.g., Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa (Four-nerve daisy)] that bloom in October, but not usually in such profusion as to fill the fields with yellow flowers.

From the Image Gallery

Prairie broomweed
Amphiachyris dracunculoides

Four-nerve daisy
Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa