Anyone in the Southwest recognize this weed?

[greybeard]

Texas, 80 miles North of Austin. Didn't want to molest the forage, grasses and pasture thread so posted here.
I've never let it get very big so I don't know what the seeds or any flowers look like. An almost woody stem, very tough orange colored dicot (taproot) root. most plants have the trident shaped 'limbs'. (3 limbs come off taproot right about the ground) Leaves resemble tiny clover. Drought and heat tolerant! It's everywhere here but no one seems to know what it is or how to kill it without also killing everything else big enough to die. Many thousands of them in my yard. I don't think it's Oaxilis or any of the Sorrels. Leaves aren't right.
No thorns but in dry times the vertical limbs will pierce your skin on the bottom of your foot.
What it is?

 

[kenny thomas]

My plant app wont identify it because I'm set up for southeast US. Not sure how to change it.
Plantnet.net if you want to download.

 

[SDM]

What color is the flower? Kinda reminds me of black medic but that might not even live where you are.

 

[1982vett]

To me it still looks like a wood sorrel. Probably in your lawn which has been mowed short for quite a while and has developed a thick sturdy stem. However, it appears to have a white flower? Haven't seen one with white flowers, however, here is one.

Oxalis acetosella Wood Sorrel PFAF Plant Database

Oxalis acetosella is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees...

pfaf.org

I know wood sorrel around here is a hardy plant. It is usually a bit leggy and drought is about all that knocks it back till it gets rain and it's off to the races again. Keeping it mowed short, it just might develop a sturdy stem. A good shot of 2, 4-D should take care of it till more come up. Just my thoughts.

 

[greybeard]

Thanks!! Perhaps it is wood sorrel. So dry and I haven't seen any flowers but I would tend to discount sorrel because of the root system on that plant. Not a dicot and from what I've read, they have a big tuber on them.

Black Medic tho, seems to fit the bill closer.


Definitely drought prone since before I moved here and for the foreseeable future it seems.

Black Medic

Black Medic Biology: Black Medic (Medicago lupulina) is a summer annual (or less commonly a winter annual) broadleaf weed that can be found throughout the United States. Seeds germinate in the spring and are capable of establishing in drought-prone or disturbed soils. Black medic is a legu

turf.purdue.edu

Blackmedic
It's positive side is that it is a legume, but I just don't want it.
I currently have no 2,4d but I do have some Triclopyr and a different herbicide with quinclorac in it.

Now to find out if I can still carry a backpack sprayer....

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Thanks!! Perhaps it is wood sorrel. So dry and I haven't seen any flowers but I would tend to discount sorrel because of the root system on that plant. Not a dicot and from what I've read, they have a big tuber on them.

Black Medic tho, seems to fit the bill closer.
View attachment 32741

Definitely drought prone since before I moved here and for the foreseeable future it seems.

Black Medic

Black Medic Biology: Black Medic (Medicago lupulina) is a summer annual (or less commonly a winter annual) broadleaf weed that can be found throughout the United States. Seeds germinate in the spring and are capable of establishing in drought-prone or disturbed soils. Black medic is a legu

turf.purdue.edu

Blackmedic
It's positive side is that it is a legume, but I just don't want it.
I currently have no 2,4d but I do have some Triclopyr and a different herbicide with quinclorac in it.

Now to find out if I can still carry a backpack sprayer....

The original photo in this thread is not black medic. It is much closer to wood sorrel, but I'm not so sure it is that. The leaves are spot on for wood sorrel, but the really thick root and stems aren't consistent with what I know of wood sorel. Another app you may try is "inaturalist".