Green Crumbweed
Dysphania rhadinostachya (F. Muell) A.J. Scott

Synonyms - Chenopodium rhadinostachya

Family: - Chenopodiaceae.

Names:

Green Crumbweed.

Summary:

A rather sticky to touch, bright green, low lying annual herb with many 'mouse tail' seed heads that stick straight up.

Description:

Cotyledons:

Two.

Leaves:

Alternate. Downy, glandular hairs. Bright green.

Stipules -

Petiole - yes.

Blade - Egg shaped, 10-25 mm long. Broad, shallow, rounded lobes. Edges wavy.

Stems:

100-300 mm tall. Erect or bending upwards or low lying. Downy, glandular hairs.

Flower head:

Globular cluster. In slender axillary or terminal "mouse tail" spikes that may be branched, dense or interrupted, short or 30-120 mm long.

Flowers:

No stalks.

Ovary - 2 style branches. Style short.

Perianth - Hairy. 1-1.5 mm long by 1-1.5 mm wide. 4 lobes are greenish, boat shaped, joined in lower half by a pale membrane, hooded near the top, tapering near the base. Persistent around the fruit.

Stamens - 1.

Anthers -

Fruit:

Red black, globular, 1.5 mm diameter, vertical, shining. Downy hairs.

Seeds:

Roots:

Key Characters:

Vertical seeds. 4 obtuse tipped perianth segments. Flowers in 'mouse tail' spikes.

Biology:

Life cycle:

Annual. Flowers July to December.

Physiology:

Reproduction:

Flowering times:

July to September in SA.

Spring to summer in NSW.

Seed Biology and Germination:

Vegetative Propagules:

Hybrids:

Allelopathy:

Population Dynamics and Dispersal:

Origin and History:

Australia.

Distribution:

NSW, NT, QLD, SA, WA.


Courtesy Australia's Virtual Herbarium

Habitats:

Red earth soils and hard ridges.

Climate:

Soil:

Red earths especially on hard ridges. Mulga sandplains.

Plant Associations:

Bimble box. Mulga.

Significance:

Beneficial:

Fodder though tends not to be grazed to any extent.

Shelter.

Detrimental:

Weed.

Toxicity:

Not recorded as toxic.

Legislation:

None.

Management and Control:

Thresholds:

Eradication strategies:

Herbicide resistance:

Biological Control:

Related plants:

Erect Crumbweed (D. simulans) is similar but the fruit are broader, whitish, with 3 bladdery bags above a cup shaped base.

Red Crumbweed (D. glomulifera, D. littoralis)

Plants of similar appearance:

Chenopodium inflatum is very similar but has a more erect growth habit, more inflated and hairless perianth segments apart from tiny hairs on the inflexed margins and has a horizontal seed.

References:

Black, J.M. (1965). Flora of South Australia. (Government Printer, Adelaide, South Australia). P291.

Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992). Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Melbourne). P262. 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). #475.4.

Acknowledgments:

Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.