Gutierrezia serotina, Late Snakeweed, Southwest Desert Flora

Gutierrezia serotina, Late Snakeweed

Late Snakeweed has bright yellow or golden-yellow flowers, either solitary or in clusters of 3 to 5. Note the flower heads have both ray and disk florets. Gutierrezia serotina

Late Snakeweed is rare in the United States where it is found only in the United States. There are no known records of occurrence for this species in Mexico. Gutierrezia serotina

Late Snakeweed has green leaves that are linear or thin to filiform. The lower basal leaves are absent at the time of flowering. Leaf margins are without teeth or lobes (smooth). Gutierrezia serotina

Late Snakeweed blooms from April or May and again from August through October if there is adequate summer monsoon rainfall. Gutierrezia serotina

Late Snakeweed is found between 1,000 and 4,000 feet (304-1,219 m) in elevation. It prefers a wide range of habitats from: lower and upper deserts, grasslands, Creosote (Larrea) flats, dry washes, pinyon-juniper communities in stony plains, mesas, and slopes. Gutierrezia serotina

Late Snakeweed is a relatively small sub-shrub growing up to about 1 foot (30 cm) tall. Plants are usually herbaceous however they sometimes woody at base. Stems are green. Gutierrezia serotina

Scientific Name: Gutierrezia serotina
Common Name: Late Snakeweed

Also Called:

Family: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family

Synonyms: (Gutierrezia california, Gutierrezia polyantha)

Status: Native

Duration: Perennial

Size: 6 inches (15 cm) to 1 foot (30 cm)

Growth Form: Subshrub; stems green (herbaceous) and sometimes woody at base; stems smooth or without hair (glabrous); plant profile mounded.

Leaves: Green, blade shape linear to thin (filiform); lower basal leaves are absent at flowering; leaves alternate; leaf edges or margins without teeth or lobes, smooth (entire).

Flower Color: Golden-yellow; single (solitary) heads or in clusters of 3 to 5; flower heads with both ray (4 to 9) and disk (8 or 10 to 12) florets; fruit is a cypsela with a rough pappus.

Flowering Season: April or May, and August through October with adequate monsoon rainfall.

Elevation: 1,000 to 4,000 feet (304-1,219 m)

Habitat Preferences: Lower and upper deserts, grasslands, Creosote (Larrea) flats, dry washes, pinyon-juniper communities in stony plains, mesas, and slopes.

Recorded Range: Late Snakeweed is rare in the United States where it is found only in central and southern Arizona.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Gutierrezia serotina.

North America species range map for Late Snakeweed, Gutierrezia serotina:
North American range map courtesy of Virginia Tech, Dept. of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation

Click image for full size map

U.S. Weed Information: Unknown
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: Unknown
Wetland Indicator: Unknown
Threatened/Endangered Information: Unknown

Genus Information: In North America there are 10 species and 11 accepted taxa overall for Gutierrezia. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 33 accepted species names and a further 30 scientific names of infraspecific rank for the genus.

The genus Gutierrezia was published in 1816 by Spanish botanist Mariano Lagasca y Segura, Director of the Real Jardin Botanico. Mariano Lagasca y Segura published the genus Gutierrezia in 1816.

In the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 6 species of Gutierrezia, California and Utah each have 3 species, Nevada has 2 species, New Mexico has 5 species and Texas has 4 species. Data approximate and subject to revision.

Comments: Late Snakeweed is rare in the United States where it is found only in central and southern Arizona. There are no records of occurance in Mexico.

Snakeweeds of the genus Gutierrezia are often viewed negatively as evidenced in Arizona Flora, Kearney and Peebles; Gutierrezia are “worthless plants” not even valuable for controlling soil erosion and they are “more or less poisonous to sheep and goats when eaten in quantity, but are unpalatable and are seldom grazed”.

Many of the Snakeweeds looks similar, at least superficially, however Broom Snakeweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae and Threadleaf Snakeweed, Gutierrezia microcephala are both larger plants and both have other less noticeable differences in important key characteristics.

Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock Gutierrezia serotina, its seeds, plants and foliage may be of value for wildlife, mostly small mammals and birds for food, shelter and protection through cover.

Beneficial Value to Butterflies, Bees and Insects Gutierrezia serotina brightly colored yellow flowers and plants may be visited by butterflies, moths and other insects in search of food, nectar, shelter and protection through cover.

Etymology: The genus “Gutierrezia” (Gutierre'zia:) is named for Pedro Gutierrez (Rodriguez), name sometimes given as Pedro Gutierrez de Salceda, a 19th century Spanish nobleman, botanist and apothecary at the Madrid Botanical Garden called the Real Jardin Botanico founded by King Carlos III.

The genus Gutierrezia was published in 1816 by Spanish botanist Mariano Lagasca y Segura, Director of the Real Jardin Botanico. Mariano Lagasca y Segura published the genus Gutierrezia in 1816.

The species epithet “serotina” (serotin'a, seroti'num:) late in flowering or ripening; thus the common name Late Snakeweed.

Ethnobotany

Unknown