Foothills. Roadsides, woodlands, openings. Summer.
Dolores River Overlook, July 14, 2004.

Petradoria pumila is a very common plant found in extensive colonies lining trails and roads.  It first attracts attention to itself with bright green, dense, six inch diameter clusters of vertical leaves.  Then, as in this picture, its four-to ten inch stems are topped with a mass of tiny bright golden/yellow flowers. The base of the plant often has a whorl of gray dead leaves from the previous year’s growth. This whorl could be confused with the very similar whorl of Stenotus armerioides.  Petradoria pumila might also be confused with Gutierrezia sarothrae but the latter blooms later in August and September and is taller, woody, yellow, in more rounded clusters with very narrow, short leaves.

"Petra" is from the Greek for "rock: and "doria," is, according to William A. Weber, "an old name for a Goldenrod".  "Pumila" is Latin for "dwarf".

Foothills. Roadsides, woodlands, openings. Summer.
Prater Ridge Trail, Mesa Verde National Park, August 13, 2005.

Petradoria pumila puts on quite a show in July and August.