Texas Gardening: Texas Native Plant Pictures by color ( Yellow ), 0 by htop

htop wrote:
Puncturevine, Caltrop, Goat's Head, Bullhead (Tribulus terrestris), Zygophyllaceae Family, naturalized, annual, blooms mid-summer through early fall, invasive

This is a low-growing, trailing up to 5 feet long plant that is considered a weed. It is often found growing in sandy and disturbed areas The 4 to 6 cm long, short-stalked leaves are opposite, pinnately compound and have 5 to 10 pairs of leaflets. The 4 to 5 cm across, five-petaled flowers are borne on 2.5 to 5 cm stalks in the leaf axils. The goat head-shaped seeds have sharp thorns that can be very painful to step upon. The flowers have been used in the past in the treatment of leprosy and the stems are used in the treatment of skin diseases and psoriasis. It is used in various herbal formulas to treat eye problems such as itching, conjunctivitis and weak vision, headaches, pain relief, improved mood and sense of well-being, enhancement of the immune system, cholesterol reduction, relief of premenstrual (PMS), and nervousness. After learning its herbal uses, I guess I will not be so mad when I step on the stickers. It is extremely toxic to sheep. Puncture vine seeds have been used to kill people in weapons in southern Africa. The poisonous juice of Acokanthera venenata is smeared on the seeds and the seeds are put where victims are likely to step.

For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/31936/index.html

The flower ...