About Grindelia ciliata (Nutt.) Spreng.
Grindelia ciliata, which has synonyms including Grindelia papposa, Haplopappus ciliatus, and Prionopsis ciliata, is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. It is commonly known by the names Spanish gold, goldenweed, and waxed goldenweed. This plant is native to parts of the central United States, mostly occurring across the Great Plains from Iowa and Nebraska south to Texas and New Mexico. Isolated native populations can also be found in Arizona, and there are confirmed naturalized populations in California, Maryland, Michigan, and the Mississippi Valley. It grows in prairies, grasslands, and disturbed areas such as roadsides and alongside railroad tracks. Grindelia ciliata is an annual or biennial shrub that can reach up to 150 cm (5 feet) in height, with branching along its upper stem. The plant is hairless. Its leaves are arranged alternately, growing up to 8 cm (3.2 inches) long, with spiny-toothed blades that are longer than they are wide. The upper end of the stem holds an inflorescence made up of several flower heads. The hemispheric base of each flower head can reach up to 2.5 centimeters (one inch) wide, and is lined with many small, green phyllaries that have curving tips. Each flower head can contain up to 30 narrow, pointed yellow ray florets that are between 1 and 2 centimeters (0.4-0.8 inches) long. These ray florets surround a central cluster of yellow disc florets. The fruit produced by this species is a brown achene that measures about a centimeter (0.4 inches) long when its long bristly pappus is included.
