Butterweed
Scientific Name: Packera glabella (Poir) C. Jeffrey
Other Names: Cressleaf groundsel, yellowtop, golden ragwort, and yellow ragwort.
Life Cycle: winter annual
General Description: A basal rosette that has several branching stems. Flowers are yellow.
Seedlings: Leaves form basal rosettes and tend to be purple in color. Leaf tips are initially rounded, not lobed.
True Leaves and Stem: Leaves
are alternate, deeply divided, and lobed. Lobes have round serrated
margins. Stem and leaves are usually greenish-purple in color. Stems are
hollow and grooved. Most plants have one stem, but there may be more.
Plants are hairless and grow to be 1-3" tall.
Roots: Fibrous roots.
Flower and Fruit: Plants have yellow ray and disk flowers. Flowers are grouped in clusters and are located on several branches.
Other Information: Butterweed is poisonous to grazing animals.