Townsville lucerne, Townsville stylo
Stylosanthes humilis, Fam. Fabaceae
Prostrate to erect annual, generally to 0.5m tall, stems reddish-green, slightly hairy and commonly rooting at nodes if in contact with soil.
| Weed Category: |
Other invasive plants Invasive plants that are not prohibited or restricted invasive plants, but are known to spread readily and cause negative impacts, within the region.
|
| Weed: | Yes |
| Form or habit: | Herb, Shrub |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Leaf: | Compound Alternate Compound, alternate, pinnate with 3 ovate to elliptic leaflets, broadest about the middle and tapering into a pointed apex; variously hairy. Leaflets, 4-25 x 2-5mm, almost without hairs, prominently veined on lower surface. Stipules with finely pointed tip and prominent veins present, 6-4mm long. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Inconspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Yellow |
| Flower description: | Small yellow pea-flowers, borne in short terminal heads of 2-3 or more, almost concealed in overlapping bracts except when open. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Inconspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Black |
| Fruit: | Dry |
| Fruit description: | Pods 1.5-4 x 1.5-2.5mm, plus 1.5-7mm elongated hooked beak; flattened with 1 or 2 joints, sparsely hairy with netlike ridges, black at maturity and usually with one shiny black seed, 2-3mm x about 1.5mm. Seeds almost rectangular with one pointed corner. |
| Habitat: | |
| Distribution | |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Native of tropical America |
| Notes: | Spread by: animals, water and contaminated soil. Invades/threats: open forest, disturbed and waste land along roadsides. Notes: its value as a pasture legume has been somewhat reduced due to disease. Stylos were introduced as valuable pasture species but are now widely naturalised, especially in disturbed areas. Several species are prevalent in this region. Environmental weed. |
| Information sources: | Mackay Regional Pest Management Group (2018) Weeds of the Mackay Whitsunday Region Second Edition. |
