14 Jan Singapore daisy
Sphagneticola trilobata
Introduced as an ornamental. Deliberately
planted as a roadside and railway
embankment stabiliser in Queensland,
now spreading in coastal areas of New
South Wales. Also naturalised in Florida,
Malaysia and on Pacific Islands.
Family: Asteraceae
Origin: Mexico to Argentina
Habit: Dense mat-forming perennial herb to 70 cm high, with spreading
stems to 2m or more long that root at nodes.
Leaves: Simple, dark green above, paler below, 3-11 cm long, 2.5-8 cm
wide, with white hairs and toothed margins, sometimes trilobed.
Flowers: Solitary in leaf axils with yellow disc and ray florets; to
3.5 cm wide on stalks 3-14 cm long . Flowerheads with 4-14
petals 6-15 mm long, inner (disc) florets tubular. Flowers
spring to autumn.
Fruit: Seeds 4-5 mm long, tuberculate and topped with
Dandilion-like tufts.
Roots: Fibrous, shallow; rooting at the nodes.
Dispersal: Seed spread by wind, humans and contaminated soil (earthmoving
equipment, car tyres etc) and garden refuse dumping. Plants
will spread vegetatively by cuttings rooting at the nodes.
Control: Hand pull/dig bagging all plant parts and removing from site,
Foliar spray.
