Identification
One plant of this weedy species was found flowering on the Fontenelle Forest floodplain in September 2013, its seed probably brought in by recent flooding events. Its bright yellow flower (A), about 1 1/2 inches in diameter has up to 40 ray florets around a yellow central disk. The leaves have teeth (B) which terminate in sticky glands. Many strongly curved, narrow green bracts covered with sticky resin occur at the base of the flower (D). This particular plant was about 2 feet tall and found bending over the trail (C).
This weedy species, although common throughout Nebraska, is rare at Fontenelle Forest where a single plant was seen and photographed in 2013. It has not been seen since that time. It is likely the seed arrived on the floodwaters of previous years and the flood related soil disturbance upon which this plant thrives provided the substrate for its successful germination. This plant flowers from July through September.
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