Tribulus terrestris.sw.wikipedia.org (Accessed 4/2015).

Tribulus terrestris is an annual C4 herb (Downton 1971), much branched, stems hairy, mat-forming to 1 m wide. 

Tribulus terrestris (puncture vine). plant. commons.wikimedia.org (Accessed 8/2017).

Leaves opposite, evenly pinnate, 3-6 cm long, leaflets 6-8 pairs leaflets 0.5-1.5 cm long. 

Flowers yellow, small, radially symmetrical to 1 cm wide. 

Tribulus terrestris.fruit.en.wikipedia.org (Accessed 4/2015).

Fruit dry, 5-parted each part crested and with 2 divergent spines. 

Wetland status: UPL. 

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent, ephemeral. 

Origin: Mediterranean. 

Tribulus terrestris with a sand wasp (Bembix sp.). Zihao Wang, Jamaica Bay, NYC 8/2017.

Habitat: Dry, open soil, fill.

Notes: Contains a photosensitization toxin (Kingsbury 1964). Visited by sand wasps (Bembix sp.).