''Heterotheca grandiflora'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name silk-grass goldenaster or telegraphweed. It is native to the southwestern United States ( California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona) and northwestern Mexico ( Baja California), but it can be found in other areas as an introduced species, such as Hawaii. It is often a roadside weed even where it is native. ''Heterotheca grandiflora'' is a tall, bristly, glandular plant exceeding a meter (40 inches) in height and densely foliated in hairy to spiny toothed or lobed leaves. Leaves are smaller and more widely spaced toward the top of the stem, which is occupied by an inflorescence of bright yellow daisy-like

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 ...

. The disc and ray florets drop away to leave a spherical head of

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 ...

s, each with a long white pappus. Asteraceae Heterotheca grandiflora Telegraph Weed

File:Heterotheca grandiflora (20122322582).jpg, Closeup of flower File:Starr 050816-3676 Heterotheca grandiflora.jpg, Closeup of flower gone to seed File:Starr 031001-2111 Heterotheca grandiflora.jpg, Field of ''Heterotheca grandiflora''

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUnited States Department of Agriculture Plants ProfileCalphotos Photo gallery, University of California
grandiflora Plants described in 1840 Flora of Baja California Flora of the Southwestern United States {{Astereae-stub