Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britton & Rusby
Snakeweed, broom snakeweed, broomweed, matchweed
Snakeweed is a perennial shrub native to western North America.
Plants: Rounded shrubs are 8–28″ (20–70 cm) high. Branches bush out upwards from the base, hence the name “broomweed.” Branches are green or yellow during blooming, and may be resinous and sticky.
Leaves: Alternate, linear to lanceolate, needlelike, and ⅛–2½ ⨉ 1/32–⅛″ (5–70 ⨉ 1–3 mm).
Flowers: Bright golden yellow. Small narrow flowers appear on branch tips, producing a golden mound. Flowers are in groups of one to five, each with 3-8 ray flowres and 3-9 disc flowers. Flowers appear from July to November.
Fruits: Cypselae are oval and covered with light, dry scales.
Habitats: Mountain habitats, upper deserts, pinyon-juniper, grasslands and wooded areas, in dry, arid areas, rocky hillsides and slopes, disturbed and open areas, overgrazed lands; limestone, caliche and calcareous soils; from 3000–9000′ (914–2743 m).
Edibility: Due to saponins, toxic to domestic sheep, goats, and cattle in large quantities.
Online References:
8/26/2014 · La Ventana Natural Arch, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 2 × 1½′ (57 × 50 cm) 
8/26/2014 · Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center, Grants, New Mexico · ≈ 6 × 8″ (15 × 20 cm) 
8/26/2014 · La Ventana Natural Arch, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 1½ × 1½′ (50 × 42 cm) 
5/3/2018 · Park Blvd., Joshua Tree National Park, California 
8/26/2014 · Rte 117, El Malpais National Monument Badlands, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 10 × 8″ (26 × 21 cm) 
5/3/2018 · Park Blvd., Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 16 cm) 
5/3/2018 · Park Blvd., Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 1 × 1′ (39 × 31 cm) 
8/30/2014 · New Mexico 
5/3/2018 · Park Blvd., Joshua Tree National Park, California 
8/26/2014 · Sandstone Bluffs, Rte. 117, El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico · ≈ 7 × 5″ (17 × 13 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Asterales | Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies |
| Family | Asteraceae | The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers |
| Genus | Gutierrezia | Named for Pedro Gutierrez (Rodriguez), a 19th century Spanish nobleman and botanist at the Madrid Botanical Garden called the Real Jardin Botanico founded by King Carlos III |
| Species | sarothrae | From the Greek sarum, “a broom” |
Gutierrezia sarothrae description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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