Raphanus is from the Greek raphanos meaning radish.
Sativus
Radish
Other Names:
Long Radish - var. niger
Small Radish - var. radicula
Summary:
A vegetable with a red, swollen root.
Description:
Cotyledons:
Two. Conduplicate.
Leaves:
Stipules -
Petiole -
Blade - Bristly hairs.
Stems:
Bristly hairs.
Flower head:
Flowers:
Ovary -
Sepals - Erect, pouched at the base.
Petals - Egg shaped, veined, with a long claw.
Stamens -
Anthers -
Fruit:
Inflated, smooth, thick, long, cylindrical, spongy walled, pith filled pod that is scarcely constricted between the seeds and does not break in segments. Long conical beak. Seeds not released from the pod.
Seeds:
Globular, pitted.
Roots:
Swollen taproot.
Key Characters:
Biology:
Life cycle:
Annual or biennial
Physiology:
Reproduction:
By seed.
Flowering times:
Seed Biology and Germination:
Vegetative Propagules:
Hybrids:
2 forms - Var. radicula the Small Radish has a globular or oblong root and var. niger the Long Radish has a long and often blackish swollen taproot.
Allelopathy:
Population Dynamics and Dispersal:
Spread mainly by intentional planting.
Origin and History:
Mediterranean. Western Asia.
Introduced as a vegetable crop.
Distribution:
NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC.
Naturalised in NSW.
Habitats:
Climate:
Temperate.
Soil:
Friable soils.
Plant Associations:
Significance:
Beneficial:
Swollen root used as a salad vegetable.
Detrimental:
Toxicity:
Not recorded as toxic.
Legislation:
None.
Management and Control:
Thresholds:
Eradication strategies:
Not usually required.
Most of the Brassicaceae weeds have dormant seeds that continue to germinate throughout the season and for several years. They often mature and set seed very quickly. Manual removal is effective but must be done at least every 8-10 weeks. Once pods are formed, seed will often mature even if the plant has been uprooted. Soil disturbance often leads to a flush of seedlings.
Many are somewhat unpalatable, so grazing only offers partial control. They often flourish in undergrazed, sunny areas.
In bushland situations, fairly selective control can be achieved with 100 mL spray oil plus 0.1 g Eclipse® or 0.5 g Logran® in 10 L water. 5 mL Brodal® is often added to this mix to provide residual control of seedlings. Spray the plants until just wet from the seedling stage up to pod formation.
Isolated plants should be removed manually and burnt if flowering or seeding and a 10 m buffer area sprayed with 10 mL Brodal® in 10 L water.
500 mL/ha of glyphosate(450g/L) can be used at flowering to reduce the seed set of most species on roadsides without causing significant damage to most native plants.
Wick application with 1 part glyphosate(450g/L) in 2 parts water or overall spraying with 100 mL glyphosate(450g/L) in 10 L water provides reasonable control of most species though Wild Radish tends to regrow.
Herbicide resistance:
Biological Control:
Related plants:
Sea Radish (Raphanus maritimus).
Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)
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). P135.
Black, J.M. (1965). Flora of South Australia. (Government Printer, Adelaide, South Australia). P388.
Lazarides, M. and Hince, B. (1993). CSIRO handbook of economic plants of Australia. (CSIRO, Melbourne). #1044.3.
Acknowledgments:
Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.