Family - Asteraceae

Stems - To +1m tall, branching above, erect, herbaceous, glabrous, often reddish, from taproot.

Leaves - Alternate, sessile, linear to linear oblong, minutely appressed pubescent above and below, randomly serrate, acute, to +/-10cm long, +/-1.5cm broad. Margins between teeth setulose.

Inflorescence - Single flower head terminating branches of stem.

Involucre - To 1.1cm tall, 1.7cm in diameter. Phyllaries loosely imbricate, linear-attenuate, glabrous, viscid, to 1.4cm long, 1.5mm broad at base, spreading to suberect.

Involucre.

Ray flowers - Ligule yellow, to -2cm long, +/-3mm broad, glabrous, viscid. Flowers fertile. Achene white (in flower), 1.4mm long, glabrous. Pappus a pair of filiform awns to 6mm long.

Disk flowers - Disk to 1.7cm broad. Corolla tube yellow, 4mm long, 5-lobed, viscid. Lobes acute, .8mm long, sometimes with sparse pubescence. Flowers fertile. Stamens 5, adnate to base of corolla tube. Filaments very short. Anthers to 3mm long, included, connate around style. Style bifurcate. Stigmas pubescent. Achene slightly flattened, white (in flower), .9mm long, glabrous. Pappus a pair of filiform awns to 6mm long.

Flowering - August - October.

Habitat - Limestone glades, rocky open ground, bald knobs, rocky roadsides, waste ground.

Origin - Native to U.S.

Other info. - This species of Grindelia is very common in the southwestern part of the state, but grows in other locations throughout the state. Most parts of the plant, especially the flowers, are very sticky (viscid). The flowers are quite showy and I'm surprised the plant is not cultivated more. It grows in very rocky soil.

Photographs taken at the Pea Ridge National Military Park, Rodgers, AR., 8-11-03.