Broad lance shaped

An erect, branched annual which usually appears in winter and matures in summer. It grows to about 1 m tall and has mealy white leaves and stout, ribbed, brown stems. Leaves are alternate, 7 cm long and 6 cm wide. They gradually get smaller and narrower from the base of the plant upwards. They are d0iamond-shaped and irregularly toothed in the upper half but wedge-shaped and undivided at the base. Flowers are small, mealy-white, and in clusters along branched spikes at the ends of the branches and upper forks. Seeds are small, flat, round, smooth, shining and enclosed in the remnants of the flower.

Fat Hen is a native of Europe and favours the southern cane-growing areas.

34. Green fat hen

Chenopodium murale

An erect, branched, annual growing to about 1 m tall with leaves that are slightly mealy-white beneath and with stout ribbed stems. It has an unpleasant smell. Leaves are alternate and diamond-shaped in the upper half. Flowers are small, green to red and in clusters along the branched flower stalks which are carried at the end of the branches and in the forks of the leaves. Seeds are round, small, flat, dull and enclosed in the flower remnants.

Green Fat Hen is found in the southern districts and, like Fat Hen (C. album), is a native of Europe and a weed of cultivation.

35. Jute

Corchorus olitorius

An erect, robust, woody-based annual herb ranging from 30 cm to 3 m high; has few branches, a tough, fibrous bark. Leaves are alternate, bright green on top and paler underneath; lanced-shaped, 6 to 12 cm long and 1 to 6 cm wide, tapering to a point at the tip and rounded or tapered at the base, serrated with the lowest pair of teeth elongated into characteristic, fine hairs. Flowers are small, yellow and have five petals; carried on short stalks, either singly or in pairs in the leaf forks.

Fruits are stout, erect and cylindrical, 3 to 7 cm long and about 5 mm in diameter, tapered to a beak at the tip and split longitudinally into five parts at maturity, with small dark brown, angular seeds.

36. Thonapples

Datura spp.

Robust, annual herbs growing to about 1 m and occasionally taller. Stems are erect, smooth and with repeatedly forked branches. Dark green leaves are mostly borne towards the ends of the branches. They are large with shallow, scalloped edges and emitting an unpleasant smell when crushed. Flowers are long, tubular and white. Fruits are globular and covered with prickles of various shapes and sizes. Seeds are plentiful and dull black.

Thornapples occur widely, usually infesting headlands and cultivated areas. They are poisonous to stock but rarely eaten. Illustrated here is Datura stramonium.

37. Crofton weed

Eupatorium adenophorus

A shrubby perennial with a short rootstock and numerous up-right, branching stems, usually growing 1.5 to 2 m high. Roots are pale yellow and have a carrot-like smell when broken. Stems are rather soft and, when broken, root where they touch the ground. Leaves are opposite, bright green, 5 to 10 cm long and 3 to 8 cm broad. They are broadest near the base and taper to a point. The base is wedge-shaped and the upper edges are toothed. Flowers are white and closely grouped in small, dense heads which form sprays up to 10 cm across. Seeds are slender, 2 mm long and almost black with a few fine hairs at the top.

Crofton Weed is found in south-eastern Queensland and NSW. It is a garden escapee and is poisonous to horses.

38. Potato weed

Galinsoga parviflora

An erect, soft and thin-stemmed annual herb growing to less than 1 m. Leaves are opposite, soft and yellow-green. They are spear-shaped, 2.5 to 5 cm long and 1 to 2.5 cm wide, have toothed edges and are pointed at the tips. Flower heads are small with yellow centres and a few white petals. They are carried on thin stalks at the top of the plant.

Potato Weed is widespread and common in some localities. It is mainly a weed of disturbed, damp areas but it also invades cane fields where it may form a dense ground cover if not controlled. Also called Yellow Weed.

39. Hyptis

hyptis sauveolens

An annual, erect, woody-based herb that grows to 1.5 m. It has hairy, 4-angled stems. Leaves are dull green with a strong mint smell when crushed. They are opposite, stalked, lance-shaped and pointed at the tip. The bases of the leaves are rounded or heart-shaped, shallowly serrated and 3 to 10 cm long and 2 to 7 cm broad. Flowers are small, lavender-coloured, about 5 mm long and usually arranged in few-flowered clusters in the forks of the upper leaves. Calyxes are conspicuous with their rims extended into five stiff bristles.

Hyptis, also called Chinese Mint, is extensively naturalised in north-eastern Queensland. It is common on headlands and along the roadsides, occasionally invading cane fields.

40. Lantana

Lantana camara

A rambling shrub often forming a dense thicket. Stems are four-angled with short prickles on the angles. Leaves are opposite, bright green above and paler beneath. They are approximately 6 cm long with the margins being slightly lobed. Flowers are on stalks that originate from the leaf joints and are in heads about 2.5 cm across. They are at first pale cream with a dark yellow centre and later are lilac or purplish. The fruits are fleshy, purplish black when ripe and about 8 mm across.

Lantana is common in all districts where it often takes possession of hillsides and gullies, particularly in clewed forest areas. It is a pest of waste land and creek banks and encroaches onto the margins of cane fields.

41. White root

Lobelia purpurascens

An erect or prostrate perennial, growing to 30 cm and with underground runners and branching stems. Leaves are alternate with very short stalks, dark green above and grey-green or dull purple beneath. They are 1.2 to 2.5 cm long and up to 1 cm wide, spear-shaped and with toothed edges. Flowers are carried on long stalks from the leaf joints. They are white, tinged with lavender on the outside, and two of the five petals are shorter, giving them a lopsided appearance. Male and female flowers are on different plants.

White Root is widespread and grows in damp ground. Control by cultivation is difficult because new plants grow from broken pieces of underground runners. It invades canefields in low-lying and swampy areas.

42. Swamp weed

Melochia corchorifolia

A tough, woody-stemmed plant growing to 2.5 m. The leaves are oval-shaped, pointed at the end with lightly serrated edges. The small, white flowers have 5 petals and are arranged in bunches at the end of stalks which grow from the leaf joints. The seed capsules contain 5 individual seeds.

Swamp weed is found mainly in northern Queensland where the woody nature of its stem can cause problems during cane harvesting. It is a weed of swampy and poorly drained areas.

43. Melochia

Melochia pyramidata

A woody-based herb growing to over 1 m. Leaves are oval-shaped with a pointed tip, about 4 cm long and 2 cm wide and are carried on a 2 cm leaf stalk. Flowers are in small, loose groups and have purplish petals about 5 mm long. Fruits are pyramid-shaped with very prominent angles and divided into five sections each containing a single seed.

Melochia is more common in the southern districts. It is not a troublesome weed of cane fields.

44. Apple-of-Peru

Nicandra physalodes

A stout, upright annual growing to 2 m and occasionally taller. Stems are coarsely fluted, hollow and pale yellowish-green and are branched in the upper part. Leaves are pale green, thin and flat with wavy to coarsely-toothed margins. Flowers are pale blue, bell-shaped and borne singly in the forks of the leaves. The fruit is a round berry enclosed by five straw-coloured leaf-like parts resembling a Cape Gooseberry.

Apple-of-Peru is widespread but is only a significant weed of cane in northern NSW.

45. Wild gooseberry

Physalis minima

An erect, soft, pale green annual, with spreading branches, growing to 50 cm and occasionally to 1 m. Leaves are alternate, pale green and thin. They are 6 to 12 cm long and 2 to 5 cm broad with irregularly toothed margins. Flowers are pale yellow, sometimes with brown spots in the centre. They are cup-shaped, about 1 cm across and borne singly in the forks of the leaves. Fruits are yellow berries about 1 cm across and completely enclosed in straw-coloured, pointed, five-angled, inflated paper shells.

Wild Gooseberry is widespread and is a common weed of recently cultivated and fallow ground.

46. Coral berry

Rivina humilis

An erect, slender woody-based annual or short-lived perennial growing to about 1 m. Leaves are alternate, smooth and bright green. They are spear-shaped, 4 to 10 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide, rounded at the base and tapering to. a point at the tip. Flowers are in spikes in the leaf joints. They grow on short stalks, with white petals and are about 3 mm across. Fruits are bright red berries, each containing a single seed.

Coral Berry is widespread, usually growing on the margins of rainforest or other shady places in coastal areas. The leaves have an unpleasant smell when crushed.

47. Indian weed

Sigesbeckia orientalis

An erect, stiff, annual herb growing to 1 m. Leaves are opposite and on winged leaf stalks. They are triangular in shape with irregularly toothed edges and often have large pointed lobes near the base. Flower heads are sometimes in pairs with leaves, and flowers are daisy-like with yellow centres and petals.

Indian Weed is widespread, but not common, throughout central Queensland to NSW. It is usually found on roadsides and disturbed waste ground.

48. Blue thunbergia

Thunbergia grandiflora

A very vigorous creeper. Leaves are opposite, triangular to oval in shape often with scalloped margins, particularly towards the base. They are pointed at the tip and up to 15 cm long and 10 cm broad. Flowers are in hanging groups, each is about 8 cm across, with a short, broad, white tube expanded into 5 rounded, lavender-blue lobes.

Blue Thunbergia is an escapee from gardens and has become naturalised in many parts of north Queensland. It is invading and becoming common on the margins of some recently cleared rain-forest areas. It occasionally invades cane fields.

49. Tridax daisy

Tridax procumbens