Castlereagh Macquarie County Council

Green Cestrum

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:40:05 +0000

Green Cestrum is a straggling perennial shrub2-3 metres high. It has one or more brittle stems. The leaves are green, up to 10 centimetres long and have a foul smell when crushed. Its flowers are seen from late spring to autumn . They are found in yellow trumpet shaped clusters approximately 2.5 centimetres long. The flowers also have an unpleasant smell during the day but have a sweet smell in the evening. The fruit are egged shaped berries and are shiny black in colour.

Golden Dodder

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:35:55 +0000

Golden Dodder is an annual leafless flowering plant. It parasitises host plants by suckers called haustoria. The haustoria penetrate the tissues of the host plant and take out valuable nutrient reducing crop and pasture production . The stems are threadlike and usually bright yellow. The flowers are bell shaped in clusters along the stems and are creamy white in appearance.

Common Pest Pear

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:30:02 +0000

Common Pear is a low growing green cactus up to 1.5 metres high and made up of flattened segments or pads 10-30 centimetres long and 7-20 centimetres across. Leaves measuring 3-4 millimetres long are rarely seen. Areoles have a cluster of small brown woodish hairs and up to 11 spines 10-50 centimetres long. Two year old plants have yellow flowers during spring producing green fruit in summer. The 50 millimetre long fruit ripens deep purple in colour. Plant segments and fruit become detached and spread by animals and water. The fruit is palatable and seeds with 20 year life expectancy are readily spread by birds

Galvanised Burr

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:23:40 +0000

Galvanised Burr is often the first plant to colonise at a site after drought or overstocking. Seeds are spread by livestock and vehicles. The leaves are bluish- green, obviate, flat, 12 to18 mm long and 7 mm wide. Leaves are densely hairy giving the plant a galvanized appearance. The single flowers occur all year round. The fruit are 2 to 3 mm in diameter with spines.

Chilean Needle Grass

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:20:20 +0000

Chilean Needle grass is closely related to serrated tussock. It is relatively unpalatable and reduces farm productivity .It can be confused with some of the native spear grasses. It has hairs on the leaf surface and has tufts of hair at the junction of the leaf blade and the sheaf. It has a distinctive crown at the junction of the seed body and the seed awn

Noogoora Burr

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:19:37 +0000

Noogoora Burr is a robust summer growing annual plant found in creek beds, river flats or moist flood prone areas. It can invade cultivation and pastures and can grow up to 2 metres in height with spreading branches covering an area of 2 metres. Its broad lobed leaves are on course ribboned branches. The fruit ripens into a spiny burr 2 centimetres long densley beset with hooked spines at the end. The plant is toxic to livestock and can cause dermatitis and mechanical injury to both humans and livestock.

Bridal Creeper

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:15:56 +0000

Bridal Creeper is a major weed of native bushland. The foliage smothers surrounding plants and dense mats of tubers prevent root growth of other plants. The leaves are ovate cladodes and are 1 to 4.5 cm long, 5 to16 mm wide and glossy green in colour. Flowers are greenish white and 8 to 9 mm in diameter. The fruit are pea size green berries which mature to a red colour

St John’s Wort

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:14:53 +0000

St John’s Wort is a weed that spreads over long distances by humans, livestock, and feral animals. The plant contains a toxin which causes photosensitization in livestock. This may lead to reduced productivity. It has distinctive flowers and if the leaves are held up to the light small oil glands appearing as pinholes may be seen.

Silverleaf Nightshade

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:13:31 +0000

Silverleaf Nightshade is a summer growing weed . It may be confused with other species but there are features which distinguish it from these plants. It may cause serious crop and pasture losses if not controlled. It may be toxic to stock in some situations. The plant grows to 80 cm tall. It has purple flowers ( sometimes white) with yellow stamens. The plant is usually armed with small sharp prickles. The round fruit change from green stripes to a motley yellow /orange colour.

Spiny Burr Grass

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:12:23 +0000

Spiny Burr Grass is an erect and spreading annual grass growing up to 60 centimetres high. It forms a spike like panicle 3-8 centimetres long consisting of up to 40 spiny burrs. It grows most readily on disturbed sandy soil. The burrs formed by this weed are difficult to extract from skin and clothes.The burr can cause lameness in dogs and sheep.