Heterotheca grandiflora

{{Short description|Species of plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Starr_031001-2109_Heterotheca_grandiflora.jpg

|status = G4

|status_system = TNC

|status_ref =

|genus = Heterotheca

|species = grandiflora

|authority = Nutt. 1840

|synonyms_ref = [http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/gcc-29542 The Plant List, Heterotheca grandiflora Nutt]

|synonyms = *Heterotheca floribunda Benth.

}}

Heterotheca grandiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name silk-grass goldenaster or telegraphweed. It is native to the southwestern United States (California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona){{cite web|url=http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Heterotheca%20grandiflora.png|title=Biota of north America Program 2014 county distribution map|publisher=}}[http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Heterotheca+grandiflora Calflora taxon report, University of California, Heterotheca grandiflora Nutt.. telegraph weed, telegraphweed ] and northwestern Mexico (Baja California),[http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=3823&taxauthid=1 SEINet, Southwestern Biodiversity, Arizona chapter] photos, description, distribution map but it can be found in other areas as an introduced species, such as Hawaii. It is often a roadside weed even where it is native.

Heterotheca grandiflora is a tall, bristly, glandular plant exceeding a meter (40 inches) in height and densely foliated in hairy to spiny toothed or lobed leaves. Leaves are smaller and more widely spaced toward the top of the stem, which is occupied by an inflorescence of bright yellow daisy-like flower heads. The disc and ray florets drop away to leave a spherical head of achenes, each with a long white pappus.{{cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250066921|title=Heterotheca grandiflora in Flora of North America @ efloras.org|website=www.efloras.org}}

File:Asteraceae Heterotheca grandiflora Telegraph Weed.jpg

File:Heterotheca grandiflora (20122322582).jpg|Closeup of flower

File:Starr 050816-3676 Heterotheca grandiflora.jpg|Closeup of flower gone to seed

File:Starr 031001-2111 Heterotheca grandiflora.jpg|Field of Heterotheca grandiflora