Barleria prionitis L.

Title: Barleria prionitis L.

Scientific Name:

Barleria prionitis L.

Common Names:

barleria, porcupine flower.

Image via GBIF

Distribution:

Distribution map via GBIF

Invasiveness Assessment

ESTABLISHMENT

1. Germination requirements? Seeds germinate early in the wet season, following the first significant storms’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). Requires seasonal rainfall for germination.

2. Establishment requirements? Moderately intolerant of shade, growing in both full sunlight and under light forest canopies’ (Francis 2002). Can establish under a moderate canopy.

3. How much disturbance is required? ‘Most often found on roadsides, bluffs and bars above streams, overgrazed range, disturbed areas, and farmsteads’ (Francis 2002). ‘Grows well in tropical savanna country and along riverbanks’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). Although common in highly disturbed natural ecosystems, can establish in relatively intact natural ecosystems also.

GROWTH / COMPETITIVE

4. Life form? Perennial shrub (Francis 2002) – other.

5. Allelopathic properties? None described in Francis 2002.

6. Tolerates herb pressure? ‘Spiny and generally ignored by cattle ’ (Francis 2002). ‘Unpalatable to stock’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). Favoured by heavy grazing as not eaten by animals / insects.

7. Normal growth rate? ‘Dense stands eliminate most other ground vegetation. ..the species doesn’t compete well in dense stands of tall grass. ‘ Seedlings of porcupine flower grow slowly at first’ (Francis 2002). Insufficient information. Score as medium.

8. Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? Grows on sandy soils. Susceptible to frost (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). Insufficient information to determine if tolerant of drought, waterlogging and / or fire. Score as medium.

REPRODUCTION

9. Reproductive system? Reproduces by seed.’ ‘Many plants that are closely related to baleria are capable of vegetative reproduction .. baleria can probably also reproduce vegetatively’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003).

10. Number of propagules produced? ‘Each seed capsule contains two fairly large flat seeds’.’. one plant producing up to hundreds of seeds in a season’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003).

11. Propagule longevity? ‘Forty-four percent of the seeds sown on commercial potting mix germinated between 13 and 77 days following sowing ..not known how long the seeds remain viable in the soil after being dropped but it is likely to be at least several years’ (Francis 2002)

12. Reproductive period? Annual herb. ‘In Puerto Rico, these shrubs live about 4 years’. ‘Can probably live for about ten years in good conditions’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003).

13. Time to reproductive maturity? ‘Not definitively known how old seedlings are before they first flower’. ‘In Katherine plants do not flower until they are at least half a metre tall and their estimated age is one year’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003).

DISPERSAL

14. Number of mechanisms? '.. animal vectors for seed dispersal are lacking’ (Francis 2002). ‘Infestations can move relatively quickly downhill, where seed transport may be aided by water’. ‘.. infestations in Australia have been traced back to escapees from gardens .. from garden waste that was dumped in bushland or transported on heavy machinery’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003).

15. How far do they disperse? ‘Natural regeneration generally occurs within 1 or 2 m of the parent plant (Francis 2002). However, attached to machinery or spread along roadways, highly likely that some propagules will disperse greater than 1 km.

Impact Assessment

RECREATION

1. Restrict human access? Grows up to 1.5 m. May grow as a single plant or in large, tangled thickets. ‘Thickets can impede the movement of stock, restrict access to waterways’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). ‘The prickly nature and dense thickets of the bush makes it impossible for wildlife, stock or humans to get through to waterways’ (CPC 2002). Weed would have a high nuisance value.

2. Reduce tourism? Can ‘reduce the aesthetic values of natural bushland’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). Potential to have a minor effect on aesthetics.

3. Injurious to people? The plant has 5- to 20 mm long spines (Francis 2002). Spines are present at certain times of years.

4. Damage to cultural sites? Can ‘reduce the aesthetic values of natural bushland’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). Possible that the weed would have a moderate visual effect.

ABIOTIC

5. Impact flow? Terrestrial species.

6. Impact water quality? Terrestrial species.

7. Increase soil erosion? Although defoliates annually during the dry season, it has a tap and lateral root system, branching in all directions which would help ‘protect the soil against erosion’ (Francis 2002). Unlikely to contribute to large-scale soil movement.

8. Reduce biomass? ‘Dense stands eliminate most other ground vegetation’ (Francis 2002). Likely that biomass may increase.

9. Change fire regime? Weed dies off during the dry season and grows up to 1.5 m. Can grow in grassland. Possible that the weed’s dry matter would have a minor effect on the frequency or intensity of fire risk.

COMMUNITY HABITAT

10(a) Impact on composition of high value EVC? The potential distribution of Barleria prionitis excludes Victoria, Australia. No impact on EVCs in Victoria.

10(b) Impact on medium value EVC? The potential distribution of Barleria prionitis excludes Victoria, Australia. No impact on EVCs in Victoria.

10(c) Impact on low value EVC? The potential distribution of Barleria prionitis excludes Victoria, Australia. No impact on EVCs in Victoria.

11. Impact on structure? ‘Dense stands eliminate most other ground vegetation’ (Francis 2002). The weed would have a major effect on less than 60% of the floral strata.

12. Effect on threatened flora? The potential for Barleria prionitis to establish and naturalise in Victoria is highly unlikely due to ecoclimatic limitations. No impact on threatened flora in Victoria.

FAUNA

13. Effect on threatened fauna? The potential for Barleria prionitis to establish and naturalise in Victoria is highly unlikely due to ecoclimatic limitations. No impact on threatened fauna in Victoria.

14. Effect on non-threatened fauna? ‘The prickly nature and dense thickets of the bush makes it impossible for wildlife, stock or humans to get through to waterways’ (CPC 2002). Weed may have a minor effect on fauna spp.

15. Benefits fauna? ‘Furnishes cover for wildlife’ (Francis 2002). May provide some assistance in shelter to desirable species.

16. Injurious to fauna? ‘Spiny and generally ignored by cattle’ (Francis 2002). Spines are present at certain times of the year.

PEST ANIMAL

17. Food source to pests? Not a known food source for pest animals.

18. Provides harbor? Can provide refuge for feral animals’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). May provide harbour for minor pest spp.

AGRICULTURE

19. Impact yield? ‘Thickets can impede the movement of stock, restrict access to waterways’. ‘Infestations reduce the productivity of pastoral country’ (CRC for Australian Weed Management 2003). May have a minor impact on carrying capacity of land.

20. Impact quality? Not a weed of cropping.

21. Affect land values? Primarily a weed of natural ecosystems. Unlikely to effect land value.

22. Change land use? Primarily a weed of natural ecosystems. Unlikely to cause a change in priority of land use.

23. Increase harvest costs? Not a weed of cropping.

24. Disease host/vector? None evident.

Feedback

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Assessment ratings originally made by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.

The entry of this assessment was made possible through the generous support of Nature's Weeding Centre.

Attachments:

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referenced by (1)

wra825: Common Name - B (via barleria)

Article: wra8400 (permalink)
Categories: :wra:b, :wra:inv1, :wra:invmh, :wra:inv2, :wra:inv3, :wra:inv4, :wra:invl, :wra:inv5, :wra:inv6, :wra:invh, :wra:inv7, :wra:invm, :wra:inv8, :wra:inv9, :wra:inv10, :wra:invml, :wra:inv11, :wra:inv12, :wra:inv13, :wra:inv14, :wra:inv15, :wra:imp1, :wra:impmh, :wra:imp2, :wra:impml, :wra:imp3, :wra:imp4, :wra:imp5, :wra:impl, :wra:imp6, :wra:imp7, :wra:imp8, :wra:imp9, :wra:imp10a, :wra:imp10b, :wra:imp10c, :wra:imp11, :wra:imp12, :wra:imp13, :wra:imp14, :wra:imp15, :wra:imp16, :wra:imp17, :wra:imp18, :wra:imp19, :wra:imp20, :wra:imp21, :wra:imp22, :wra:imp23, :wra:imp24
Date: 10 February 2023; 1:54:06 PM AEDT

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid