Urena burr
Urena lobata, Fam. Malvaceae
Tall, short-lived perennial hairy sub-shrub to about 2.5m, stems often reddish.
| 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: | Shrub |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple Alternate Simple, alternate broadly ovate, 50-70mm wide, with shallow triangular lobes, toothed margins, star-hairs on both surfaces, denser below and with 1 or more glands on main vein. Stalks 5-80mm long. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Pink |
| Flower description: | Usually pink, hibiscus-like, with 5 petals, about 10mm across and borne singly or in clusters on short axillary stems. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | Dry |
| Fruit description: | Globose, 8-10mm in diameter, dry brown and radially separating into five 1-seeded wedge-shaped burr-like segments covered in bristles with star-shaped hooks at the tips. |
| Habitat: | |
| Distribution | |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Cosmopolitan |
| Notes: | Spread by: ‘burrs’ adhere to ‘everything’; moved by water, in contaminated soil and machinery. Invades/threats: pastures, roadsides, disturbed areas, creek banks and flats, dry swamps and open forest. Notes: widespread and common throughout this region; forms large colonies. Seeds build up in the soil seed bank and germinate in profusion when conditions are suitable. Used to produce fibre crops in Africa and South America, has medicinal uses and apparently can be eaten raw. When not in flower or fruit, easily confused with chinese burr (Triumfetta rhomboidea), however chinese burr does not have glands on the underside of the leaves. Environmental weed. |
| Information sources: | Mackay Regional Pest Management Group (2018) Weeds of the Mackay Whitsunday Region Second Edition. |
