Nasty plant with spikey balls

[tekewin]

Does anyone know what this evil plant is? Abundant on the north side of Silver Mountain.

[dima]

I don't know what it is, but that plant is REALLY unfriendly. It has lots of little spikes that detach from the plant and stay lodged in your skin. Then if you don't pull out each spike carefully, they break and then you can't get it out anymore. It also doesn't help that the very steep firebreak leading up to the summit of Silver Mt is covered with these things which makes it difficult to avoid. What IS it?

[cougarmagic]

They should all be destroyed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulus_terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is an annual plant in the Caltrop Family (Zygophyllaceae) widely distributed around the world, that is adapted to grow in dry climate locations in which few other plants can survive.[2]

It is an invasive species in North America.[2] Like many weedy species, this plant has many common names, including bindii,[3] bullhead,[4] burra gokharu, caltrop,[1] cat's head,[1][3] devil's eyelashes,[5] devil's thorn,[1][5] devil's weed,[1] goathead,[1] Puncture Vine,[2] Puncturevine,[1] and tackweed.[6]

[tekewin]

Thanks for the info.

It goes on the plant enemies list.

[dima]

They should all be destroyed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulus_terrestris

I don't think that's it, actually. Tribulus terrestris (known as "goatheads" where I grew up, enemy of all bicyclists) stays low on the ground and grows out, horizontally. The spiky things are the dried fruit, each piece containing two big spikes, the goat "horns". The Silver Mountain plant grows up rather than out, and the tiny spikes look like they cover the fruit, instead of being the fruit itself. Both an obnoxious however.

[Mike P]

Looks like a type of yellow-star thistle which is common in Northern California. Like Cougarmagic said: It needs to be destroyed.

I am not a plant guy, however... I hope someone with more knowledge chimes in.

[atomicoyote]

Definately a thistle (sunflower family). Since its dried out with no flowers or leaves its hard to pin it down, but by the long spikey things on the bud-ends I'd say its a yellow thistle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaurea_solstitialis

Possibly a Malta Star Thistle, but they tend to have shorter spikes. Both plants are invasive weeds.