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 Yellow Starthistle
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| Centaurea solstitialis L. |
Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) is a member of the Asteraceae family, native to the Mediterranean region. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for The family Asteraceae or Compositae (known as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family) is the largest family of Flowering The plant, also known as golden starthistle, yellow cockspur, and St. Barnaby’s thistle[1] is a thorny winter annual in the knapweed genus. Botanically an annual plant is a Plant that usually germinates, Flowers and dies in one Year. Centaurea ( Cen-tau-ré-a) is a genus of about 350-500 Species Species in this genus include Centaurea adpressa
It is a grayish-green plant with multiple rigid stems that extend in all directions from the base, forming a bushy-looking cluster that can reach two meters in height and more than that in diameter. It produces bright yellow flowers ringed with long, sharp spines. The plant grows quickly and is very competitive. It bears a taproot that can reach a meter deep into the soil, allowing it to thrive during dry, hot summers. A Plant 's taproot is a straight tapering Root that grows vertically down It is versatile in its growth patterns, and can adapt to drought or low soil moisture content by producing smaller plants with fewer seeds during dry years.
Since its introduction to California in the mid-nineteenth century[2], it has become a large-scale noxious weed throughout the United States, currently dominating over 15 million acres in California alone [3]. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions
Contents |
Invasive species
The plant grows as a normal part of the ecology in Eurasia, where it is kept in check by an assortment of natural enemies and other plants that have co-evolved with it in its native habitat. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Its introduction in North America probably occurred in California sometime after the start of the California Gold Rush, as a seed contaminant in Chilean-grown alfalfa seed, also known as Chilean clover (Trifolium macraei). The California Gold Rush (1848&ndash1855 began on January 24 1848 when Gold was discovered by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California Agriculture in Chile encompasses a wide range of different activities due its particular geography, climate and geology. Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop Alsike redirects here Alsike Sweden is also a town in the Knivsta Municipality, Sweden. [2] After the turn of the century, Spain, France, Italy, and perhaps Turkestan were also likely sources of invasion. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Turkestan (literally meaning "Land of the Turks" is a region in Central Asia, which today is largely inhabited by Turkic peoples. [2]
It was dispersed into agricultural fields in California, and immediately took hold in the area's Mediterranean-type climate. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Human factors such as mowing, domestic animal grazing, and cultivation of wildlands contributed to the success and spread of the plant. It is now a very common sight in pastures, fields, and vacant lots, and along roadsides.
By 1970[4], yellow starthistle had reached 23 states. [2] According to the USDA Forest Service, as of 2006 the plant has been reported present in 41 of the 48 contiguous U.S. states, with the only exceptions being Maine, Vermont, and five of the Deep South states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia). The term continental United States refers to the 48 contiguous states located on the North American continent south of the border with Canada plus the District The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The Deep South is a descriptive category of cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule [5] The plant is considered invasive in six of the 41 states: California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and New Jersey. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. [5]
The yellow starthistle plant has the ability to create monotypic stands in fields that prevent other species from growing there. Whole fields of solid yellow starthistle are not uncommon. Its growth plasticity, competitiveness, preference for the Mediterranean climate, and lack of natural enemies and co-evolved species make it a very successful invader. The plant is a pest in field crops, prevents domestic animals' grazing in rangelands, and acts as a physical barrier to wild animal movement in wildlands. It is toxic to horses. This is a list of Plants which are Poisonous to Equines. Some may cause mild reactions such as Diarrhea, others can lead to serious problems including [6]
Biological control
Yellow starthistle is sometimes resistant to removal methods such as mowing, because of its long root system, and burning, due to the seeds' ability to withstand fire. The plant has been the target of biological pest control programs with positive results. Biological control of pests in Agriculture is a method of controlling pests (including Insects Mites Weeds and plant diseases Six types of seed-feeding insect have been found to be effective against the plant. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described
- Three species of weevil in the beetle subfamily Cleoninae effectively reduce seed production in the yellow starthistle. A weevil is any Beetle from the Curculionoidea Superfamily. They are usually small less than 6 mm (¼ Inch) and herbivorous
- Yellow starthistle bud weevil (Bangasternus orientalis) is a fuzzy brown weevil that lays its eggs in the flowers, and when its larvae hatch, they feed on the developing seed. Bangasternus orientalis is a species of true weevil known as the yellow starthistle bud weevil.
- Yellow starthistle hairy weevil (Eustenopus villosus) is a long-snouted, hairy-looking weevil that lays a single egg inside each flower bud. Eustenopus villosus is a species of true weevil known as the yellow starthistle hairy weevil. The larva then consumes the seeds within.
- Yellow starthistle flower weevil (Larinus curtus) is a brownish weevil that lays eggs in the flowers as it feeds on the pollen. Larinus curtus is a species of true weevil known as the yellow starthistle flower weevil. The larvae then eat the seeds when they hatch.
- Three species of tephritid fruit fly also attack the seedheads of yellow starthistle. Tephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as " fruit flies.
- Yellow starthistle peacock fly and false peacock fly (Chaetorellia australis and C. succinea, respectively) are small nectar-feeding flies that deposit eggs into the seedheads, where their larvae consume the seeds and flower ovaries. Chaetorellia australis is a species of tephritid fruit fly known as the yellow starthistle peacock fly. Chaetorellia australis is a species of tephritid fruit fly known as the yellow starthistle peacock fly.
- Banded yellow starthistle gall fly (Urophora sirunaseva) produces larvae that pupate within a woody gall within the flower and disrupt seed production. Galls or plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of Plant tissues and can be caused by various Parasites from Fungi and bacteria, to Insects
Additionally, a variety of the rust fungus Puccinia jaceae, first released in July 2003 on a ranch in the Napa Valley, has shown promise as an agent against yellow starthistle. Rusts are Fungi of the order Uredinales. Many of these species are plant Parasites. Napa County is a County located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U [7] The rust causes widespread pathology in the leaves of the plant and slow its dispersal.
References
- ^ DiTomaso, J (2001). Element Stewarship Asbtract for Centaurea solstitialis. The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable Environmental organization working to preserve the Plants, Animals, and natural communities Retrieved on 2007-06-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected
- ^ a b c d Yellow Starthistle Information from a University of California, Davis (UCD) website
- ^ Mount Diablo Review. The University of California Davis, commonly known as UC Davis, or just UCD, is a public coeducational university located in the city of Davis, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (2007).
- ^ 1970 distibution of yellow starthistle in the U.S., a map from UCD's Yellow Starthistle Information website
- ^ a b Yellow Starthistle species profile from the USDA Forest Service Invasion Species website
- ^ Yellow Starthistle species profile from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Invasive Species Information Center
- ^ Fungus Unleashed To Combat Yellow Starthistle from the U.S. Department of Agriculture website
External links
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