California
Noxious Weeds
Halogeton (Halogeton glomeratus)
Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae)
Description: A many stemmed annual to 18 inches. Plant blue-green in the spring and early summer, turning red to yellow by late summer. Leaves small, fleshy and nearly tubular, ending with a tiny needle-like hair. Minute cottony hairs occur at the leaf base. Flowers green and inconspicuous.
Habitat: Native to Europe.and Asia. Adapted to the alkaline soils and semi-arid environment of high desert winter livestock regions. Invades disturbed and overgrazed lands. Concentrated along roadsides, sheep trails, and areas where livestock congregate. Although not extremely competitive, it does produce toxic oxalates that are especially poisonous to sheep and cattle.
Distribution: The largest infestation of halogeton is in the desert saltbrush complex from Wendel to the Smoke Creek Desert and Karlo Road (Lassen County). Other known sites are in Surprise Valley and isolated areas around Alturas (Modoc County).
Flowering Period: July to September.
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