Where is tumbleweed found

As the fruit matures, the bases of sepals develop wings; these overlap and form a broad collar around the fruit.

When young, this collar is translucent white, sometimes tinged with shades of yellow and pink. The collar matures brown with darker veins. Tumbleweed is a Eurasian species, thought to have been accidentally introduced into South Dakota in the s, probably as a contaminant in flaxseed. In the Reserve, tumbleweed has historically been common along the freeway berms, the Pole Road and the dike — areas currently inaccessible because of the restoration.

Whether tumbleweed is being exterminated in these areas, or whether it will rebound after the disturbance remains to be seen. At present plants persist on the Stonebridge mesa and, in spite of eradication efforts, a few plants can be found north of the Santa Carina trailhead.

Tumbleweed is a dicot angiosperm in the goosefoot family, Chenopodiaceae. Typical flowers are tiny, greenish and lack petals. This family is currently under study and genetic evidence may result in the Chenopodiaceae being merged with the related Amaranthaceae. From the images and descriptions in the literature, tumbleweed is similar to Southern Russian thistle S. Tumbleweed has a unique strategy for seed dispersal. Weak spots in the stem, near the base of the plant, become brittle with age and a gust of wind causes the plant to break away.

Without an anchor, the large surface area and relatively light weight allows tumbleweed to role and bounce along the ground, shedding small branches and their attached seeds — like a giant salt shaker.

Since a single plant may shed 20, or more seeds, 5 it is little wonder these plants colonized vast areas of open rangeland very quickly. We found no local records of California Indians using tumbleweeds. To the east, the Navajo used tender young sprouts and roasted seeds for food. Several plant species can turn into tumbleweeds, but the University of California says the name of the plant most commonly associated with them is the Russian thistle.

The scientific name of the Russian thistle is Salsoa tragus, which is part of the Chenopodiaceae family plant, also known as Goosefoot family, according to the U. Department of Agriculture. In addition to their bushy and prickly characteristics, one large plant can produce more than , seeds.

As the name suggests it, the plant is native to Russia. Russian immigrants in introduced it to the U. Tumbleweeds are an agricultural pest and people all over, not just California, have shared their experiences with the dried up plants. Check out these images from people in Oregon, Washington, Kansas and even Arizona. The USDA is making efforts to eradicate tumbleweeds for good — the government has apparently imported viruses from Russia and Hungary to test them, according to Western Farm Press.

But that solution has yet to be put to the test. Email: luis. This could spell bad news in multiple respects. Though tumbleweeds start off rooted to the soil, they break away upon reaching maturity, rolling across landscapes and dispersing their seeds as they go. They compete with crops for resources, and are thus nightmares for farmers, reports Adam Allington of Bloomberg. Tumbleweeds can also disturb oil and gas pads, spread forest fires and cause traffic accidents.

Worryingly, Salsola tragus , one of the parent species of Salsola ryanii , has shown resistance to glyphosate , a common herbicide. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. By Sidney Stevens Sidney Stevens. Sidney Stevens is a writer and editor for magazines, websites, and books, with a focus on health and environmental issues.

Learn about our editorial process. Share Twitter Pinterest Email. Environment Weather Outdoors Conservation.