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Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1366387
May 2021 • Nebraskaland 53 of course. Nor is it the fern-like leaves neatly arranged in pairs. Rather, it is that nasty, woody bur. The fruit of the puncturevine, when it dries and separates from the plant, does so in five demonic pieces, each with two prominent spines. In most cases, one of those spines points upward as it rests in wait to inject itself into an unsuspecting foot or tire. It thrives in disturbed sites such as roadsides and footpaths. With puncturevine, it is a numbers game. Each plant can produce hundreds of those burs, and each of the five pieces of those burs harbors up to four seeds. Do the math. Or don't. In short, each plant can produce a boatload of hardy seed. With the bur's woody exterior, it can remain viable for about seven years before it finds the right conditions to spawn more plants. And, of course, those piercing spines often help the bur travel far and wide. "It's a real survivor of a plant," Mays said. Mays said she combats the species in a couple of ways on the college's 281-acre campus that features more than 4 miles of trails. On the trails, buffalo grass is used as a weapon. This native species, highly drought-tolerant with roots 6 feet deep, often out-competes puncturevine once it becomes established in a thick enough stand. In the southern United States, St. Augustine grass is the competitive species of choice. Mays also encourages pulling puncturevine whenever it is identified. This works best in late spring and early summer before the plant begins dropping its burs. "Carry a bag with you if you go on a hike," Mays said. "If you see a goathead, pick the whole plant, put it in a bag and trash it." The plants are proficient at blending in with other species, so it sometimes takes a trained eye. "If you can get it before it's young, before it sets seed, you've done a great job of making sure you don't have a seed crop for next year," she said. "But we don't usually notice it when it's young. We notice it when it's a big mat on the ground, maybe two feet across." Because puncturevine is an annual, people do not need to worry about that plant coming back next year or removing its entire long, skinny taproot. The seeds are the main issue. A piece of carpet or similar material can be used to lift seeds that fall on the ground when pulling plants. Tribulus terrestris is native to southern Eurasia and Africa. Its list of positives is short. Pollinators (which unfortunately help the plant reproduce) are attracted to the yellow flowers. Grazing animals will eat the plant before the burs become too prickly. Search for "Tribulus terrestris" on the Internet, and you will find many people hawking its health benefits. Both the root and its fruit are marketed as a supplement to boost testosterone and increase the male libido, among other health benefits. Does it work? It's debated. While the thought of an army of bodybuilders roaming the landscape and munching up all of the goatheads should certainly get people excited, controlled studies have not proven it to increase testosterone and ingesting it has not been proven to be safe. A tribulation, indeed. N The burs of puncturevine, designed to point upward, have profi ciently attached themselves to countless feet and bicycle tires.