Agronomy217 WeedIdentification

Puncturevine TribulusterrestrisL.Family:Zygophyllaceae

Lifecycle:Annual

Habitat:Wasteareas,roadsides.

Generaldescription:Relativelysmall,prostrateplantwithcompoundleaves.Multiplestemsdevelopfromthecrown,stemscanreachlengthsof2-3ft.Leavesarepinnatelycompoundwith4to8pairsofleaflets.Leafletsare¼-½inlength,twiceaslongaswide,andhairy.Flowershave5yellowpetals,eachpetalapproximately¼”long.Fruitconsistsof5sections,eachwithhard,sharpspines.Eachsectioncontains2to4seed.

KeyIDtraits:Compoundleaveswithhairyleaflets,matforminggrowthhabit.

Similarspecies:Growthhabitissimilartoprostratespurgeandprostrateknotweed.However,thehairyleafletsandcompoundleafarekeydistinguishingfeatures.

Miscellaneous:Puncturevineismorecommoninthewesternpartofthestate,butisfoundoccasionallythroughout.Thebursarenotoriousforcausingflattiresonbikeswhentheplantgrowsalongtheedgesofroads.

CompoundleavesandflowerFivepartfruitwithsharp-spinedburs.

Puncturevineprostrategrowthhabit.