Could someone identify this plant from our backyard - we're in Tucson and have no "lawn" since we don't water, but this has started growing in very low-lying mats all over the yard. The tiny flowers are (going to be) yellow. Does it produce those awful spiny burs? How do we get rid of it? Thanks.
Awful spiny burrs are normally from a plant called burdock, which resembles rhubarb. The plant in the picture is not burdock, but it still might create small burred seeds. Most people will tell you to spray Roundup on it; this will kill it dead but it might also affect anything benign and broadleafed growing in your "lawn" area; personally, I'd suggest going out with a trowel and a weeding spike and pulling it out by hand.
(Puncturevine)Tribulus terrestris, (Southern Sandbur), Cenchrus echinatus are two more likely candidates for your burs. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?earl=plant_profile.cgi&symbol=TRTE HTH Chris
Thanks for the suggestions. It doesn't have any leaves to speak of, which is strange... The photos I've found of those two plants do have leaves and the second one is spiny (which ours isn't but maybe it's the wrong season). We have a suspicion that it produces those awful tiny three-pronged spiky burs (I can't find a picture, not even here: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/plmay98.htm#list - although the sandbur looks close) but along with cockleburs they're the two scourges of the southwest - for our dogs, especially.
