Vaccaria comes from the Latin word for cow because it was thought to be good cattle fodder.
Bladder Soapwort.
Other names:
Bladder Soapwort
Cow Cockle
Cowcockle
Cowherb
Cow Soapwort
Nancy.
Summary:
A bluish green, erect stemmed, annual plant about 1000 mm high with 5 petalled, pink flowers in spring and opposite stalkless, hairless leaves.
Description:
Cotyledons:
Two. Oval. Tip round. Base tapered. Hairless. Prominent veins. Petiole short.
First leaves:
Club shaped with a pointed tip. Hairless.
Leaves:
Bluish green. Opposite.
Stipules - None.
Petiole - None.
Blade - Bluish green, egg shaped to lance shaped or triangular, 25-90 mm long, smooth. Tapered toward the pointed tip. Base clasps the stem. Surface somewhat undulating and hairless.
Stem leaves - Smaller more oval and somewhat heart shaped at the base.
Stems:
Erect, round, smooth, with a waxy bloom. 300-1000 mm high. Branches widely spreading. Hairless.
Flower head:
Loose, corymbose cyme at the ends of branches.
Flowers:
Pink.
Ovary - 2 free, long styles.
Calyx - Egg shaped, inflated tube, 5 triangular teeth, 5 nerved, 5 angular, 12 mm long. Contracted near the top, with 5 green winged angles ending in pink teeth.
Petals - 5, pink, notched at the top, wedge shaped, longer than calyx, long claw. Claws winged.
Stamens - 10.
Anthers -
Fruit:
Egg shaped capsule enclosed in the calyx. Opening by 4 short, blunt teeth.
Seeds:
Globular, black, more than 2 mm diameter. Surface minutely granular and hairless.
Roots:
Slender taproot.
Key Characters:
Leaves ovate or oblong.
No stipules.
Style 2, free
Sepals united into a 5 lobed, 5 toothed calyx.
Calyx ,prominent nerve down the middle of each of the 5 united sepals, without a calycle of bracts at the base.
Petals conspicuous, without scales in throat.
Fruit a capsule opening by teeth.
Embryo curved.
Biology:
Life cycle:
Annual. Seeds germinate in autumn and winter. Flowers in spring.
Physiology:
Reproduction:
By seed.
Flowering times:
Spring in western NSW.
Spring in WA.
Seed Biology and Germination:
Vegetative Propagules:
None.
Hybrids:
Allelopathy:
Population Dynamics and Dispersal:
Spread by seed.
Origin and History:
Central and southern Europe.
Distribution:
NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.
Habitats:
Found on brown clay soil and red sandy soil.
Climate:
Temperate. Mediterranean.
Soil:
Brown clay. Red sands.
Plant Associations:
Black Box. River Red Gum. Mallee.
Significance:
Beneficial:
Ornamental.
Detrimental:
Weed of cereals, cultivated land.
Toxicity:
Possibly toxic. Seeds are toxic to rabbits.
Legislation:
None.
Management and Control:
Thresholds:
Eradication strategies:
Prevent seed set.
Herbicide resistance:
Biological Control:
Related plants:
None.
Plants of similar appearance:
References:
Auld, B.A. and Medd R.W. (1992). Weeds. An illustrated botanical guide to the weeds of Australia. (Inkata Press, Melbourne). P147. Diagram.
Black, J.M. (1965). Flora of South Australia. (Government Printer, Adelaide, South Australia). P358. Diagram.
Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992). Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Melbourne). P307. Photo.
Everist, S.L. (1974). Poisonous Plants of Australia. (Angus and Robertson, Sydney). P135.
Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, J. and Lloyd, S.G. (1997). Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. (Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia). P132. Photo.
Lamp, C. and Collet, F. (1990). A Field Guide to Weeds in Australia. (Inkata Press, Melbourne).
Lazarides, M. and Hince, B. (1993). CSIRO handbook of economic plants of Australia. (CSIRO, Melbourne). #1252.1.