Senecio pterophorus DC.

Title: Senecio pterophorus DC.

Scientific Name:

Senecio pterophorus DC.

Common Names:

African Daisy, South African daisy, winged groundsel

More images (via ALA)

Habitat: Humid and subhumid subtropical and warm-temperate savannas, where it is mainly found on medium and lighter soil types (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992). It occurs as a weed of disturbed soils along roadsides and in denuded grazing land, newly sown pastures, forest margins and waste places (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992). African Daisy invades lowland grassland and grassy woodland, and dry sclerophyll forests (Carr et al., 1992).

Distribution:

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Original source via GBIF

Invasiveness Assessment

ESTABLISHMENT

1. Germination requirements? “Most seeds germinate with the opening rains in April or May but a few continue to germinate through winter”.(Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992, p. 307)

2. Establishment requirements? Established in sclerophyll forest and woodland where it would receive some shading (Carr et al., 1992).

3. How much disturbance is required? Invades lowland grassland and grassy woodland, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland. Also invades grazing and cropping land. (Carr et al., 1992; Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

GROWTH / COMPETITIVE

4. Life form? Erect woody shrub. Other. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

5. Allelopathic properties? None reported.

6. Tolerates herb pressure? “Animals rarely eat the plant”. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

7. Normal growth rate? “Seedlings establish quickly…it competes aggressively with developing pastures and crops”. ( Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

8. Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? Tolerant of drought (occurs in central and northern Victoria). “Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions”. Perhaps some salinity/water logging or perhaps some moderate fires as ‘new growth is produced from the crown’ annually. (P & C 1992 p. 307). (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

REPRODUCTION

9. Reproductive system? “Reproducing from a perennial crown and by seed”. New growth produced from crown, not a dispersal mechanism. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

10. Number of propagules produced? “Mature plants produce about 50,000 seeds annually”. (Parsons And Cuthbertson, 1992)

11. Propagule longevity? Not known

12. Reproductive period? “Some plants persist for 7 to 10 years”. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

13. Time to reproductive maturity? Seeds germinate in April or May - flowers and seeds produced in November. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

DISPERSAL

14. Number of mechanisms? Wind, water, animals, clothing, agricultural produce, machinery. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

15. How far do they disperse? All above mechanisms (except wind) could disperse many seeds. 200-1,000m. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

Impact Assessment

RECREATION

1. Restrict human access? Woody, bushy shrub. Invades dry sclerophyll forest and woodland. Generally 1 to 1.5 m in height. “In rainfall areas >500 mm pa can reach 3 m height and 2 – 2.5 m in diameter.” Potential to limit the activities of bushwalkers (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001; Carr et al., 1991).

2. Reduce tourism? Weeds presence is obvious, particularly during flowering, November to autumn. Major negative affect on aesthetics. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

3. Injurious to people? Not known to affect humans.

4. Damage to cultural sites? Existence of plant is quite noticeable, but is not likely to cause any structural changes. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

ABIOTIC

5. Impact flow? Terrestrial sp. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

6. Impact water quality? Terrestrial sp. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

7. Increase soil erosion? Perennial. Fibrous, densely branching roots to 20 cm depth and up to 6 m in diameter. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

8. Reduce biomass? “It competes aggressively with developing pastures and crops, and becomes dominant in the early years of infestation.” Bushy property of plant suggests biomass not negatively affected. However, in woodland areas it is likely to reduce biomass. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001; Carr et al. 1992)

9. Change fire regime? While predominantly a weed of open areas (e.g. pastures, wasteland), as a woody, bushy shrub, it may have a minor impact on frequency of fire in native ecosystems. (Carr et al. 1992)

COMMUNITY HABITAT

10(a) Impact on composition of high value EVC? EVC=Plains grassy woodland (E); CMA=Glenelg Hopkins; Bioreg=Goldfields; VH CLIMATE potential. In the Mt Napier State park, it occurs in, “large patches significantly altering native vegetation.” Invades lowland grassland & grassy woodlands, dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands. Major displacement of species within different strata. (DNRE, 1996; Carr et al., 1992)

10(b) Impact on medium value EVC? EVC=Box-Ironbark forest (D); CMA=Glenelg Hopkins; Bioreg=Goldfields; VH CLIMATE potential. Can occur on forest margins. Minor impact on grasses/forbs. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

10(c) Impact on low value EVC? EVC=Montane dry woodland (LC); CMA=West Gippsland; Bioreg=Highland Southern Falls; VH CLIMATE potential. Can occur on forest margins. Minor impact on grasses/forbs. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

11. Impact on structure? In the Mt Napier State park, it occurs in, “large patches significantly altering native vegetation.” Invades lowland grassland & grassy woodlands, dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands. Likely to have a minor impact on lower strata. (DNRE, 1996; Carr et al., 1992)

12. Effect on threatened flora?

FAUNA

13. Effect on threatened fauna?

14. Effect on non-threatened fauna? “In natural areas the plant is a strong competitor, forming dense thickets that exclude native species.” Reduction in habitat for non-threatened fauna. (LCO196, 2000)

15. Benefits fauna? None recorded.

16. Injurious to fauna? Plant contains alkaloids. May be hazardous. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

PEST ANIMAL

17. Food source to pests? See comment at Q16. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

18. Provides harbor? “In natural areas the plant is a strong competitor, forming dense thickets.” This growth habit may provide harbor for birds. (LCO196, 2000)

AGRICULTURE

19. Impact yield? “Competes aggressively with developing pastures and crops…and often becomes dominant in early years of infestation rendering infested lands unproductive.” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

20. Impact quality? No recorded impact on agricultural quality.

21. Affect land values? "…heavily infested lands (become) unproductive.” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

22. Change land use? See question 23 above. “Left undisturbed, however, it gradually thins out and is rarely a problem in well managed pastures and cereal crops.” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

23. Increase harvest costs? No evidence of increased harvest costs. “…it is rarely a problem in well managed cereal crops.” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

24. Disease host/vector? Not 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 The Weed's Network.

Attachments:

African Daisy.jpg
Capture.JPG

referenced by (2)

wra1033: Common Name - S (via South African daisy)wra702: Common Name - A (via African daisy)

Article: wra1306 (permalink)
Categories: :wra:s, :wra:inv1, :wra:invmh, :wra:inv2, :wra:inv3, :wra:inv4, :wra:invl, :wra:inv5, :wra:inv6, :wra:inv7, :wra:invh, :wra:inv8, :wra:invml, :wra:inv9, :wra:inv10, :wra:inv11, :wra:invm, :wra:inv12, :wra:inv13, :wra:inv14, :wra:inv15, :wra:imp1, :wra:impml, :wra:imp2, :wra:impmh, :wra:imp3, :wra:impl, :wra:imp4, :wra:imp5, :wra:imp6, :wra:imp7, :wra:imp8, :wra:imp9, :wra:imp10a, :wra:imp10b, :wra:imp10c, :wra:imp11, :wra:imp12, :wra:impm, :wra:imp13, :wra:imp14, :wra:imp15, :wra:imph, :wra:imp16, :wra:imp17, :wra:imp18, :wra:imp19, :wra:imp20, :wra:imp21, :wra:imp22, :wra:imp23, :wra:imp24
Date: 28 September 2009; 2:25:58 PM AEST

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid