''Galinsoga quadriradiata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

which is known by several common names, including shaggy soldier, Peruvian daisy, hairy galinsoga. Its native home is apparently central

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, although it has become naturalized in many other places (North and South America, Europe, Japan, Philippines, the northern India, Nepal, etc.).Flora of North America, ''Galinsoga quadriradiata'' Ruiz & Pavón, 1798.
/ref>Canne-Hilliker, Judith Marie. 1977. Rhodora 79(819): 353-364
in English, line drawing on page 354, around the world distribution map on page 359

Description

''Galinsoga quadriradiata'' is an annual herb which varies in appearance. The main stem reaches anywhere from 10 to 60 centimeters (4-24 inches) in height and may branch or not. The petioled leaves are ovate and serrated are opposite branching, and covered coarse,

hispid Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a pl ...

hairs. The roots form a

fibrous root system A fibrous root system is the opposite of a taproot system. It is usually formed by thin, moderately branching roots growing from the stem. A fibrous root system is universal in monocotyledonous plants and ferns. The fibrous root systems look lik ...

. The small

flower heads A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...

are up to a centimeter wide (0.4 inches) but typically 2-3mm in diameter and have rounded center filled with many disc florets usually in a shade of bright yellow. There are typically five white ray florets widely spaced around the center, each an oval shape typically with three crenate teeth at the tip. Both the disk and ray florets are fertile producing an

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...

with a large pappus.Flora of China, ''Galinsoga quadriradiata'' Ruiz & Pavon, 1798. 粗毛牛膝菊 cu mao niu xi ju
/ref> ''Galinsoga quadriradiata'' and its cousin ''

Galinsoga parviflora ''Galinsoga parviflora'' is a herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae (daisy) family. It has several common names including guasca ( Colombia), pacpa yuyo, paco yuyo and waskha (Peru), burrionera (Ecuador), albahaca silvestre and saetilla (Argentina), ...

'' are both edible and can be used as a pot herb or in salads although outside of their native range, they have not been widely adopted as a culinary item other than in China. ''G. parviflora'' is preferred as a salad green due to its non-hairy leaves. Care must be taken to not confuse them with the distantly related, and visually similar, '' Tridax procumbens'', which is poisonous. Galinsoga quadriradiata macro

References

External links

*
Jepson Manual Treatment
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q614880 quadriradiata Flora of Mexico Plants described in 1798