Chondrilla juncea plant2 (12111956015)

Description:

Description: Introduced, warm-season, perennial, much-branched, stemmy and almost leafless herb 0.5-1 m tall; exudes white sap when cut; stems are ribbed. Leaves form a rosette when young that soon withers and are toothed or lobed with lobes pointing towards base. Stem leaves are usually linear with entire margins. Three forms occur; narrow, intermediate and broad leaf. Flowerheads consist of 1-3 heads in leaf axils; heads are 3-4 mm wide and have yellow ligulate florets. Generally germinates in autumn and flowers in spring and summer. Widespread in cropping land and degraded pastures in southern Australia; most common where there is continual cropping. Prefers areas where the soil is deep and light textured with summer rainfall. Seeds are dispersed by wind; root pieces can produce new plants. Major weed of cropping areas; chokes headers, competes with crops or depletes paddocks of moisture/ nutrients during fallows. Palatable and provides good quality feed when in the rosette stage. Vigorous, deep rooted pastures provide competition. A rust fungus (Puccinia chondrillina) is effective against the narrow leaf form. Date: 24 January 2014, 14:56. Source: Chondrilla juncea plant2. Author: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia.