Title: Chrysanthemoides monilifera (L.) Norlindh

Scientific Name:

Chrysanthemoides monilifera (L.) Norlindh

Common Names:

boneseed, bitou bush, bietou




Source & more images (via ALA)

Habitat: Subtropical and subhumid scrublands, and it has become and aggressive invader of native bushland. It is not restricted by climate, but prefers sandy or medium-textured soils and disturbed situations, particularly near the sea where it tolerates saline conditions. Boneseed has the ability to establish in areas of native vegetation ranging from mallee scrub to wet sclerophyll forest, whether disturbed or not

Distribution:



Original source via CABI


Invasiveness Assessment

ESTABLISHMENT


1. Germination requirements? “Seeds germinate at any time of year but mostly in autumn” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

2. Establishment requirements? Occurs in forested areas (e.g. wet sclerophyll forests), where it would receive shading from overstorey Eucalypts (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

3. How much disturbance is required? Boneseed, however is a weed because of its ability to establish in areas of native vegetation, whether disturbed or not (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

GROWTH / COMPETITIVE


4. Life form? A perennial shrub (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

5. Allelopathic properties? “There is recent evidence that boneseed exercises an allelopathic effect on some native species. Leaf litter and fruit leaches inhibit the germ and growth of some species” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

6. Tolerates herb pressure? Seedlings of boneseed are eaten by rabbits”; “Boneseed does not persist when grazed or trampled by stock nor when cultivated” (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

7. Normal growth rate? “There is dense growth of seedling after fire which swamps out other species”(Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).

8. Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? Tolerant of frost (occurs in South Tasmania): drought (occurs in Mallee). “It is not restricted by climate, tolerates saline conditions”.(Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

REPRODUCTION


9. Reproductive system? “Reproducing by seed”. “Also reproduces by stem layering and some plants will re sprout after fires or * (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

10. Number of propagules produced? “Seed production is prolific and up to 50,000 seeds per plant per year have been recorded”. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

11. Propagule longevity? “Seed of ssp: Monilifera is longer lived and retains a high viability for 4-5 years at least”. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

12. Reproductive period? ““Plants live for 10-20 years”. (Muyt, 2001 p. 165)

13. Time to reproductive maturity? “Plants are at least 18 months and sometimes 3 years old before flowering”. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

DISPERSAL


14. Number of mechanisms? “Birds have been a major agent of spread because they readily eat the fleshy fruit and either pass or regurgitate the seed in a viable condition”. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)

15. How far do they disperse? “Birds and other agents could disperse seeds > 1 km. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992)


Impact Assessment

RECREATION


1. Restrict human access? Shrub 1 to 3 metres high and wide. It is highly invasive in many ecosystems including coastal dunes, and can dominate vegetation. “Dense stands can restrict recreational activities.” (Muyt, 2001;Blood, 2001)

2. Reduce tourism? Dominant presence of weed and difficulty in accessing recreational facilities would have a major impact on tourism.(Muyt, 2001;Blood, 2001)

3. Injurious to people? No prickles, spines or burrs. The fruit is edible. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001Blood, 2001)

4. Damage to cultural sites? It is a shallow rooted plant with no distinct taproot. Infestations would seriously affect the aesthetics of a cultural site. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

ABIOTIC


5. Impact flow? Terrestrial species. It does not tolerate waterlogged soils.(Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001; Muyt, 2001)

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

7. Increase soil erosion? Originally planted to stabilise disturbed sandy soils (due to sandmining). Dense, broad evergreen cover protects soil from wind erosion. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

8. Reduce biomass? It dominates native species such as Acacia longifolia (>2 m height), Correa alba, Leucopogon parviflorus (2 m height), potentially increasing biomass. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001) (1.5 m height)

9. Change fire regime? No data available that suggests infestations change the fire regime.

COMMUNITY HABITAT


10(a) Impact on composition of high value EVC? EVC=Grassy woodland (E); CMA=Corangamite; Bioreg=Otway Plain; VH CLIMATE potential “Dense stands [of C. monilifera] eliminate most indigenous ground-flora and prevent virtually all overstorey regeneration.” Displaces species across all strata with major impact on ground-flora. (Muyt, 2001)

10(b) medium value EVC? EVC=Valley grassy forest (D); CMA=East Gippsland; Bioreg=East Gippsland Uplands; VH CLIMATE potential “…its ability to establish in areas of native vegetation ranging from mallee scrub to wet sclerophyll forests.” “Dense stands [of C. monilifera] eliminate most indigenous ground-flora and prevent virtually all overstorey regeneration.” Displaces species across all strata with major impact on ground-flora.(Muyt, 2001; Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

10(c) low value EVC? EVC=Lowland forest (LC); CMA=East Gippsland; Bioreg=East Gippsland Lowlands; VH CLIMATE potential Impact as in 10(a) above. (Muyt, 2001; Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

11. Impact on structure? “Dense stands [of C. monilifera] eliminate most indigenous ground-flora and prevent virtually all overstorey regeneration.” In some areas of the NSW coast it now forms almost pure stands. (Muyt, 2001; Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

12. Effect on threatened flora? Direct threat to native orchid Pterostylis truncata (brittle greenhood) in the You Yang ranges. Threatens ANZECC rated rare or threatened native plant species. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001; Groves et al., 2003)

FAUNA


13. Effect on threatened fauna? not assessed

14. Effect on non-threatened fauna? Dense stands destroy or drastically alter the habitat of native birds and animals. In NSW it has replaced plant species known to be important food sources for migratory birds. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

15. Benefits fauna? May provide alternative food source. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

16. Injurious to fauna? No evidence of the plant parts being toxic

PEST ANIMAL


17. Food source to pests? Rabbits and foxes are both known to eat the fruit. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

18. Provides harbor? Rabbits and foxes are both known to eat the fruit. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

AGRICULTURE


19. Impact yield? It does not affect agriculture detrimentally and is rarely found in pastures. It does not persist when grazed and trampled by stock nor when cultivated. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

20. Impact quality? Not a significant weed of agriculture. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

21. Affect land values? Not a significant weed of agriculture. (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

22. Change land use? Not a significant weed of agriculture (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 2001)

23. Increase harvest costs? No evidence.

24. Disease host/vector? No evidence.




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.






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wra825: Common Name - B (via boneseed)wra825: Common Name - B (via bitou bush)wra825: Common Name - B (via bietou)
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Categories: :wra:c, :wra:inv1, :wra:invh, :wra:inv2, :wra:invmh, :wra:inv3, :wra:inv4, :wra:invl, :wra:inv5, :wra:invml, :wra:inv6, :wra:inv7, :wra:inv8, :wra:inv9, :wra:inv10, :wra:inv11, :wra:inv12, :wra:inv13, :wra:inv14, :wra:inv15, :wra:imp1, :wra:imph, :wra:imp2, :wra:impmh, :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:impm, :wra:imp14, :wra:imp15, :wra:imp16, :wra:imp17, :wra:imp18, :wra:imp19, :wra:imp20, :wra:imp21, :wra:imp22, :wra:imp23, :wra:imp24
Date: 13 May 2009; 3:42:14 PM AEST

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid