Weed Habitat 

• A native of the Mediterranean, Caltrop is now found throughout Queensland in disturbed areas, roadsides, agricultural land and native vegetation.
• Toxic to animals.

Description 

• Spreading, prostrate annual or biannual herb with purplish-brown branches and woody tap root.
• Numerous finely-hairy, stems up to 60 cm long, much branched.
• Leaves silky-hairy, green above and paler beneath, opposite and unequal in size, with 5-7 pairs of leaflets
• Yellow short-lived (1 day) flowers with 5petals to 10 mm long and carried singly on short stalk in leaf axils.
• Fruit is a woody burr, 6-12 mm across, composed of 5 wedge-shaped segments each with two large spreading and usually two short stout conical spines.
• Seed yellow, up to 4 seeds per segment of 20 seeds per burr.
• Spread by tyres and boots.