TARWEED (Hemizonia luzulcefolia, D. C.). Flower heads 

 an inch across or less, of both ray and disk florets, rays 5 to 

 10, 3-lobed, white (sometimes with a pinkish tinge) or even 

 light yellow, opening only in bright sunshine; heads termi- 

 nating the panicled branchlets; the seed of each ray floret par- 

 tially enfolded by the involucral bract. Leaves linear, the 

 upper quite small and sticky, the lower elongated and silky. 

 A sticky, strong-scented, much-branched annual, 8 inches to 

 2 feet high, common in dry, open grounds, Central and North- 

 ern California, blooming from April till November, and often 

 covering extensive areas. 



Of the numerous plants on the Pacific Coast known as Tar- 

 weed from their disagreeable sticky exudations on stem and 

 leaf, this Hemizonia is one of the commonest. The name 

 means "half-girdle," and is applied to the genus because of 

 the characteristic half encircling of the ray seeds by the in- 

 volucral bract. Hemizonia luzulcefolia is an abundant pro- 

 ducer of seeds, which, roasted and ground into meal, contrib- 

 uted an important item of food to the Northern California 

 Indians. The toasted seeds have a pleasant spicy odor. 



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