Yellow Goatsbeard, Western Salsify

Tragopogon dubius Scop.

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲▼ first year rosettes

▲ flowering plant

▲ flower

▲ fruit/seed

Western Salsify or Yellow Goatsbeard: (pp. 176-177, Weeds of the Great Plains; pp. 164-165 in Weeds of the Northeast)

·         biennial broadleaf weed with very thin leaves that appear almost grass like

·         single stemmed or branched from 1-3 feet tall

·         flower is large, yellow, dandelion-like flower; stem becomes swollen just under flower

·         seedhead is large globe of tawny parachute-like fruit (like dandelion seedhead, but larger, more brown)

·         sticky sap of plant makes plant unpalatable to livestock

·         similar species, Meadow Salsify:  (mentioned on pp. 177 of Weeds of the Great Plains, and mentioned on p. 164-165 of Weeds of the Northeast)

o   generally smaller plant, without swelling of stem below flower as in western salsify

o   bracts below flower do not extend past petals, as with western salsify