Smallflower Galinisoga

Smallflower Galinsoga

Galinsoga parviflora Cav.

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲ seedling

▲ mature, flowering plants

▲ flowers

Galinsoga parviflora Cav., Smallflower Galinsoga, Gallant Soldier, Lesser Quickweed, Lesser Peruvian Daisy: (Bayer Code: GASPA; US Code GAPA2)

South American summer weed that grows 4-24 inches tall; stems are much branched, smooth to slightly hairy
Leaves are opposite, lanceolate to triangular, usually hairless, with hairs around the toothed (or smooth) margins and along leaf underside veins
Flowers about 1/8-1/4 inch diameter, with usually 5 white (occasionally pink), ray flowers (“petals”) with 2-3 lobes, and 15-50 yellow disk flowers
Bracts below inflorescence are in 2-3 rows and persist on the inflorescence after flowering
Prefers good fertility, moist, well-drained soils; found in horticultural crops, row crops, pastures, non-crop areas; can produce multiple-generations of plants per growing season, and abundant seed per plant--once it goes to seed at a site, it will return for several years, even with good control of existing plants
Very similar Hairy Galinsoga (Galinsoga quadriradiata) can be distinguished by having slightly broader leaves that are hairy on both surfaces, hairy stems, and the bracts below base of flowering heads fall off as the seeds mature in the head