Grindelia squarrosa, curlycup gumweed
Walsh, Roberta A. 1993. Grindelia squarrosa, curlycup gumweed. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/grisqu
| Abbreviation | Common Name | Scientific Name | Classification | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plants | ||||
| GRISQU | curlycup gumweed | Grindelia squarrosa | Life Form: Plants/Forb Kingdom: Plantae Class: Dicot Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Grindelia | Fed. Protected: No Nativity: Native Invasiveness: Noninvasive |
Taxonomy
The currently accepted scientific name of curlycup gumweed is Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal [10,14]. It is in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Recognized varieties are:
- Grindelia squarrosa var. squarrosa [1,10,12]
- Grindelia squarrosa var. nuda (Wood) Gray [1,10,14]
- Grindelia squarrosa var. quasiperennis Lunnell [10,14]
- Grindelia squarrosa var. serrulata (Rydb) Steyerm. [10,12]
Synonyms
- No entry
Other Common Names
tarweed, resinweed, curly-top gumweed, sticky-heads, gumweed
General Distribution
Curlycup gumweed is native to much of the area from Manitoba south to Texas and east to Idaho and Arizona. It is naturalized in eastern North America and the Pacific Coast states [16,17].
States and Provinces
- United States: AZ, CA, CO, CT, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY
- Canada: AB, BC, MB, ON, PQ, SK
Site Characteristics
Curlycup gumweed favors dry areas, but grows on moist soils that lack other vegetation [17]. It is most common in dry prairies, waste places, roadsides, railroads, depleted rangelands, and abandoned croplands. It often forms almost pure stands [14,15,31].
Curlycup gumweed growth is poor to fair on gravel, clay, and dense clay, and good in sandy loam, loam, and clayey loam. It makes fair growth on saline soils, good growth on gentle and moderate slopes, and fair growth on steep slopes. Optimum soil depth is 10 to 20 inches (25-50 cm) [8].
In eastern North Dakota, curlycup gumweed occurred on salt flats and in wet lowlands where salinity ranged up to 1.3 percent [28].
Curlycup gumweed occurs at the following elevations [8,15,29]:
| Location | Elevation (feet) | Elevation (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 3,500-8,500 | 1,067-2,590 |
| Montana | 3,200-6,700 | 975-2,042 |
| South Dakota | 3,600-5,000 | 1,097-1,524 |
| Utah | 5,000 | 1,524 |
| Wyoming | 3,600-8,600 | 1,097-2,621 |
Plant Communities
Associates of curlycup gumweed in sagebrush-grassland vegetation in southeastern Montana include big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), plains prickly pear (Opuntia polyacantha), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides), and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) [30].
Associates of curlycup gumweed on shortgrass rangeland in fair condition in eastern Colorado include blue grama, buffalo grass, rush skeletonplant (Lygodesmia juncea), wavyleaf thistle (Cirsium undulatum), pricklepoppy (Argemone intermedia), and crazyweeds (Oxytropis spp.) [20].
Associates of curlycup gumweed in tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie in southwestern Oklahoma include big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii var. gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) [25].
Associates of curlycup gumweed on land adjacent to creek bottoms in central Montana include wheatgrasses (Agropyron and Pascopyrum spp.), foxtail barley (Critesion jubatum), brome (Bromus spp.), desert saltgrass (Distichlis stricta), big sagebrush, silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana), greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus), and rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) [26].
Flowering curlycup gumweed.
Botanical Description
Curlycup gumweed is a warm-season [17] perennial or biennial native forb [8]. It grows 0.33 to 3.3 feet (0.1-1 m), with one to several branched stems [14,12]. Flower heads are several to numerous. The floral disk is 0.6 to 2.75 inches (1.5-7 cm) wide. The fruit is an achene [14]. Curlycup gumweed is taprooted, and develops a short, vertical rhizome. The root system extends 6.5 feet (2 m) into the soil [1], with extensive shallow root development [35].
Raunkiaer Life Form (Raunkiaer 1934)
- Geophyte
Seasonal Development
Curlycup gumweed forms a rosette the first year. The next summer, the plant grows erect stems which branch considerably and produce many flower heads [12,35].
Curlycup gumweed flowering times are [1,10,14,22,23,31]:
| Location | Begin flowering | Peak flowering | End flowering |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | July | — | September |
| Colorado | June | August | September |
| Illinois | July | — | September |
| Kansas | July | — | October |
| Montana | July | August | August |
| North Dakota | July | August | September |
| Wyoming | July | August | September |
| Great Plains | July | — | — |
| New England | July | — | September |
In North Dakota, curlycup gumweed began growth in May, and by the end of May had attained 50 percent of its yearly growth [13]. Curlycup gumweed attained maximum height in August. The average length of flowering period was 41 days; the median date when flowering was 95 percent complete was September 4 [4].
Regeneration Processes
Curlycup gumweed is a biennial or short-lived perennial which reproduces by seed [12]. Seeds have a pappus [14], and are dispersed by wind.
Curlycup gumweed seeds were stratified for 10 weeks with a cold, damp regime. When planted, germination time was 3 days [24].
Successional Status
Curlycup gumweed is subdominant in climax prairie communities [6]. It also occurs on disturbed sites [14]. It is highly drought resistant, and may be abundant after dry periods [17]. However, by 1943 curlycup gumweed in the mixed-grass prairie of Kansas showed only partial recovery from the great drought of the 1930s [7].
In a black-tailed prairie dog town in a tallgrass prairie in southwestern Oklahoma, prairie dogs of one colony progressively retreated from the outside of the colony toward its center prior to abandoning it. Plant succession at this site was studied the summer after the animals left. Order of succession was apparent in concentric rings of vegetation circumscribing a bare area at the center of the colony. Curlycup gumweed did not occur in the most recently abandoned area, the colony center. It did occur in longer-abandoned, surrounding rings in association with annual threeawn (Aristida oligantha) and other short grasses, forbs, and mid-sized grasses such as sideoats grama. It was not found in the undisturbed peripheral rings, which supported climax tall grasses such as big bluestem [25].
Immediate Fire Effects
Curlycup gumweed is probably top-killed by fire.
Postfire Regeneration Strategy (Stickney 1989)
- Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
- Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)
- Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
Fire Adaptations
Curlycup gumweed may sprout from its short, vertical rhizome after fire. However, no information was available concerning its sprouting performance.
Curlycup gumweed seeds are probably established on burned sites by wind-dispersed seed.
Plant Response to Fire
Curlycup gumweed colonizes disturbed areas, and establishes or increases after fire.
Curlycup gumweed was a trace species with 0.1 percent cover before a natural range fire occurred in a cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)-sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus)-red threeawn (Aristida longiseta) community during the summer of 1956. It was not present the first growing season following the fire, in 1957. At the end of the next growing season, its cover was 1.2 percent. During the next 2 years it was present only in trace amounts [5].
Curlycup gumweed populations increased following a 1983 or 1984 wildfire of unknown intensity and season in a 9,600 square foot (800 sq m) area in central Utah [21].
Fire Regimes
For fire regime information, search FEIS for this species by entering the species name or acronym on the home page and selecting “Fire Regime” as the publication type.
Fire Management Considerations
No entry.
Federal Status
None
Other Status
No entry.
Importance to Wildlife and Livestock
Curlycup gumweed was eaten by sage grouse chicks aged 5 to 8 weeks in central Montana. It was used by 28 percent of chicks and made up 3 percent by volume of crop contents. At ages 9 to 12 weeks it was used by 39 percent of chicks and made up 4 percent of crop contents. It was not used by chicks younger than 5 weeks old [26].
Palatability and Nutritional Value
Curlycup gumweed is unpalatable to cattle, sheep, and horses [8,19], though sheep will occasionally crop flower heads in the absence of other forage [17]. Tannins, volatile oils, resins, bitter alkaloids, and glucosides give curlycup gumweed an unpleasant taste [1].
The energy value and protein value of curlycup gumweed for livestock is poor. Its food value for several species of wildlife in some western states is [8]:
| Species | Montana | North Dakota | Utah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | — | — | Poor |
| Mule deer | — | — | Poor |
| Pronghorn | — | — | Poor |
| Upland game birds | Good | Good | Fair |
| Waterfowl | — | — | Poor |
| Small nongame birds | Fair | Good | Fair |
| Small mammals | — | — | Fair |
Cover Value
The cover value of curlycup gumweed for several species of wildlife in some western states is [8]:
| Species | Montana | North Dakota | Utah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | — | — | Poor |
| Mule deer | Poor | Fair | Poor |
| White-tailed deer | — | Fair | — |
| Pronghorn | Good | Fair | Poor |
| Upland game birds | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Waterfowl | — | Fair | Poor |
| Small nongame birds | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Small mammals | — | Poor | Fair |
Value for Rehabilitation or Restoration of Disturbed Sites
Curlycup gumweed occurred in only trace amounts on unreclaimed and reclaimed bentonite mine spoils in southeastern Montana. It occurred in greater abundance on adjacent grasslands [30].
Curlycup gumweed was used in a roadside reseeding project in southern Wisconsin. It showed a high ability to survive and grow under adverse conditions. Seedlings transplanted easily to the field and grew rapidly. Results for both direct seeding and seedling transplant were excellent [24].
Other Uses
Native Americans used curlycup gumweed extracts to treat asthma, bronchitis, colic, and skin rash [17]. The Pawnees boiled the flower heads and leaves, and used the decoction for bathing saddle sores and other skin irritations [1]. Today, medicinal uses include treatment of bronchial spasm, whooping cough, asthma, and rashes caused by poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) [17]. Curlycup gumweed extract is valuable as a stimulant, sedative, astringent, purgative, emetic, diuretic, antiseptic, and disinfectant [1].
Curlycup gumweed is used as an ornamental. It produces flowers over a long period, even when the soil is poor and dry [1].
Other Management Considerations
Curlycup gumweed increases with grazing [18] and has a negative economic impact on rangelands [8]. It forms dense, brush-like cover in rangelands where there is much broken sod [35]. In the Central Great Plains, it is not usually found on ranges of excellent or good condition, but is found on ranges in fair condition [20].
Curlycup gumweed stems, leaves, and flowers produce a sticky exudate. The coats of livestock can become gummed with it [2].
Curlycup gumweed is drought resistant due to deep roots and resinous secretions [1].
Curlycup gumweed is a facultative selenium absorber [1].
Table A1— Forest and range ecosystems, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) physiographic regions, Kuchler plant associations, Society for American Foresters (SAF) forest cover types, and Society for Rangeland Management (SRM) rangeland cover types in which this species occurs.
Forest and Range Ecosystems (Garrison et al. 1977)
- FRES15 Oak – hickory
- FRES17 Elm - ash – cottonwood
- FRES20 Douglas-fir
- FRES21 Ponderosa pine
- FRES26 Lodgepole pine
- FRES29 Sagebrush
- FRES30 Desert shrub
- FRES31 Shinnery
- FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
- FRES35 Pinyon – juniper
- FRES36 Mountain grasslands
- FRES38 Plains grasslands
- FRES39 Prairie
- FRES40 Desert grasslands
BLM Physiographic Regions (Bernard and Brown 1977)
- 1 Northern Pacific Border
- 2 Cascade Mountains
- 3 Southern Pacific Border
- 4 Sierra Mountains
- 5 Columbia Plateau
- 6 Upper Basin and Range
- 7 Lower Basin and Range
- 8 Northern Rocky Mountains
- 9 Middle Rocky Mountains
- 10 Wyoming Basin
- 11 Southern Rocky Mountains
- 12 Colorado Plateau
- 13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
- 14 Great Plains
- 15 Black Hills Uplift
- 16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
Kuchler Plant Associations (Kuchler 1964)
- K011 Western ponderosa forest
- K012 Douglas-fir forest
- K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
- K017 Black Hills pine forest
- K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
- K022 Great Basin pine forest
- K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
- K037 Mountain-mahogany - oak scrub
- K038 Great Basin sagebrush
- K039 Blackbrush
- K040 Saltbush – greasewood
- K041 Creosotebush
- K046 Desert: vegetation largely lacking
- K047 Fescue – oatgrass
- K050 Fescue – wheatgrass
- K051 Wheatgrass – bluegrass
- K055 Sagebrush steppe
- K056 Wheatgrass - needlegrass shrubsteppe
- K057 Galleta - three-awn shrubsteppe
- K063 Foothills prairie
- K064 Grama - needlegrass – wheatgrass
- K065 Grama – buffalograss
- K066 Wheatgrass – needlegrass
- K067 Wheatgrass - bluestem – needlegrass
- K068 Wheatgrass - grama – buffalograss
- K069 Bluestem - grama prairie
- K070 Sandsage - bluestem prairie
- K071 Shinnery
- K074 Bluestem prairie
- K075 Nebraska Sandhills prairie
- K081 Oak savanna
- K082 Mosaic of K074 and K100
- K098 Northern floodplain forest
SAF Cover Types (Eyre 1980)
- 42 Bur oak
- 62 Silver maple - American elm
- 67 Shin (Mohrs) oak
- 210 Interior Douglas-fir
- 218 Lodgepole pine
- 220 Rocky Mountain juniper
- 229 Pacific Douglas-fir
- 230 Douglas-fir - western hemlock
- 237 Interior ponderosa pine
- 239 Pinyon - juniper
SRM Rangeland Cover Types (Shiflet 1994)
- No entry
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