- Reference
- Enum.Pl. 4:580 (1843)
- Conservation Code
- Not threatened
- Naturalised Status
- Alien to Western Australia
- Name Status
- Current
Rhizomatous, perennial, herb, to 0.35 m high. Fl. white, Aug to Nov. White or grey sand. Coastal dunes.
Distribution
- IBRA Regions
- Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren.
- IBRA Subregions
- Fitzgerald, Geraldton Hills, Lesueur Sandplain, Perth, Recherche, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren.
- IMCRA Regions
- Central West Coast, Leeuwin-Naturaliste, WA South Coast.
- Local Government Areas (LGAs)
- Albany, Augusta Margaret River, Bunbury, Busselton, Cambridge, Capel, Cockburn, Dandaragan, Denmark, Esperance, Fremantle, Gingin, Greater Geraldton, Harvey, Irwin, Mandurah, Manjimup, Rockingham, Wanneroo, West Arthur.
Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)
Alternative Names. Strapweed, False Onion Weed.
General Biology. Growth form. Herb. Life form. Perennial. Reproduction. Seed. Dispersal. Wind, water. Toxicity. Poisonous to mammals.
Notes. Major weed of coastal dunes and is spreading inland. Fleshy leaves are able to spread over the sand surface and may be up to 1 m long,making older plants competitive for space. Has variable fruit set, affected by the age of plants and weather conditions. Has adaptions for dispersal by wind and water. Wind dislodges and carries crowns of mature infloresences acting as a tumbleweed, spreading numerous small seeds. Germination is inhibited by light, a response to blowing sand habitats where germination on the dry surface could prove detrimental.
Additional information. Origin. South Africa. Similar exotic species. Asphodelus fistulosus.
Suggested method of management and control. Manually remove isolated or small infestations prior to flowering. Wipe with 50% glyphosate solution before flowering. For dense infestations in degraded areas spot spray 0.4 g chlorosulfuron plus 25 ml wetting agent in 10 L of water when plants actively growing. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.
Management Calendar
| Calendar Type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Growth | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||
| Germination | U | U | U | U | U | ||||||||
| Flowering | O | O | O | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||||
| Fruiting | Y | Y | Y | ||||||||||
| Manual Removal | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Herbicide Treatment | Y | Y | Y | O |
Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.
References
- Bell, D.T. (1993) The effects of light quality on germination of eight species from sandy habitats in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Botany, 41 (3): 321-326.
- Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
- Heyligers, P.C. (1999) Dispersal of the exotic coastal dune plants Gladiolus gueinzii and Trachyandra divaricata in Australia. Cunninghamia, 6 (2): 315-330.
- Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
- Moore, C.B. & Moore, J.H. (2002) Herbiguide, the pesticide expert on a disk. Herbiguide, PO Box 44 Albany, Western Australia, 6330.
- Moore, J.H. & Wheeler, J. (2008) Southern weeds and their control. DAFWA Bulletin 4744.
- Swarbrick, J.T. & Skarratt, D.B. (1994) The bushweed 2 database of environmental weeds in Australia. The University of Queensland, Gatton College.
- USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program (2009) Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx - Accessed October 2009.