Sp. Pl. 219 (1753) APNI
Taxonomic status:Accepted
Occurrence status:Present
Establishment means:Naturalised
Erect, variable, grey-mealy annual herb to c. 1.2 m high. Stems streaked grey and green. Leaves narrowly ovate to broadly trullate, c. 2–6 cm long, 0.5–5 cm wide, at least the lower petiolate, margins entire, toothed or irregularly lobed. Flowers bisexual and female, in small clusters, distinct or continuous within a slender panicle; tepals 5, mealy on outer surface, shortly united at base; stamens 5; pericarp thinly membranous, easily removed from seed. Seed horizontal, red-brown, 1–1.3 mm diam., obtuse around equator, remaining enclosed by perianth at maturity. Flowers mostly Jan.–May.
*Brid, *CVU, *EGL, *EGU, *GipP, *Glep, *Gold, *GGr, *HNF, *MuF, *MuM, *NIS, *OtP, *RobP, *VAlp, *VRiv, *VVP, *WaP, *Wim. Naturalized all States. Native to Europe but naturalised in most countries, rare in tropics. Common urban and agricultural weed, occurring away from settlement on disturbed or imported soil. .
Bioregion | Occurrence status | Establishment means | |
---|---|---|---|
Murray Mallee | present | naturalised | |
Wimmera | present | introduced | |
Glenelg Plain | present | introduced | |
Bridgewater | present | naturalised | |
Victorian Volcanic Plain | present | naturalised | |
Victorian Riverina | present | introduced | |
Robinvale Plains | present | introduced | |
Murray Fans | present | introduced | |
Gippsland Plain | present | naturalised | |
Otway Plain | present | naturalised | |
Warrnambool Plain | present | introduced | |
Goldfields | present | naturalised | |
Central Victorian Uplands | present | naturalised | |
Greater Grampians | present | introduced | |
Northern Inland Slopes | present | naturalised | |
East Gippsland Lowlands | present | introduced | |
East Gippsland Uplands | present | naturalised | |
Highlands-Northern Fall | present | naturalised | |
Victorian Alps | present | introduced |