A family found in tropical and sub-tropical regions, consisting of 600 species of shrubs, trees and woody vines, including mango, cashew, pistachio and poison ivy. Most species produce resinous or milky poisonous sap. Leaves often pinnate. Represented in Western Australia by one native and two naturalised species.

Schinus terebinthifolia (Brazilian pepper, Japanese pepper) is an evergreen tree common in older suburbs as a street tree and garden specimen. In some people it causes health problems. It has escaped from cultivation and forms thickets on disturbed land. Found in damp sites near Geraldton, and on river banks and swampy sites around Perth. Male trees bear many small cream deciduous flowers in late summer, while female trees produce many small red berries up to 5mm in diameter, that are probably dispersed by birds. It produces suckers from damaged roots and regrows vigorously from the stump when cut. The leaves are composed of leathery, dark green oval leaflets that exude clear resin and smell of turpentine when crushed. Native to Brazil.
S. areira (pepper tree) is naturalised around old mining settlements in the Goldfields.

Edible mango, Mangifera indica, is spreading from plantings into creek lines in the Kimberley region.

Schinus terebinthifolia, RR

A large cosmopolitan family of over 3000 species in 300 genera, nearly all are annuals or short lived perennial herbs, including carrot, parsley and coriander. The inflorescences are usually umbrella-shaped (termed an umbel). In Western Australia there are 84 native species and some 13 naturalised ones.

Berula erecta(water parsnip) superficially resembles a fern. This perennial aquatic herb grows to 1m tall and several metres wide. The leaves are pinnate, 12-25cm long, with toothed segments. The inflorescences are erect, leafy and bear small umbels of white flowers in summer. It occurs in springs from Margaret River to Augusta. Native to Eurasia and North America. Previously mis-identified as Sium latifolium.

Berula erecta, GK

Bupleurum semicompositumis a slender, spreading, much branched, grey-green annual to 30cm tall. The leaves are linear, undivided and stalkless. The umbels are small, 3-6 flowered, with reddish flowers, produced in winter and spring. Native to Europe.
A widespread weed of calcareous soils between Mount Ragged and Eucla.

Cyclospermum leptophyllum (slender celery) is an erect slender annual, 15-30cm tall. The leaves are very dissected, 2-4cm long, with thread-like segments. The umbels consist of three to seven small, white flowers in late spring. Native to North America. A very common weed along creek and river banks from Geraldton to Kalbarri and occasional in Perth.

Conium maculatum(hemlock) is a biennial herb, 1-3m tall, with hollow stems with distinct purplish blotches. The leaves are acrid-smelling ('mousey') when crushed, 12-25cm long, much divided into ovate, toothed segments. The inflorescence is composed of large compound umbels of white flowers in late spring and summer. Native to the Northern Hemisphere and extremely poisonous. There are scattered occurrences on wasteland between Perth and the Fraser Range.

Conium maculatum, GK

Daucus carota(wild carrot) is a hairy perennial herb, to 1-2m tall. The leaves are 15cm long, once or twice divided into linear segments. The flowers grow in large, flat-topped umbels,
4-8cm across, white with a central purple flower and the fruits are covered in short spines. Flowers in summer. Native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Locally common on road verges and wasteland from Albany to Walpole. Ammi majus(Queen Anne's lace) is similar but is hairless, with serrate leaves and there is no central purple flower. The fruits also lack bristles. Native to Europe.

A garden escape, it is found sporadically on verges and wasteland between Gingin and Albany.

Daucus carota, GK

Foeniculum vulgare(fennel) is a rosetted perennial to 1m, with foliage that smells of aniseed. The leaves are highly divided into thread-like segments, 30-50cm long. The inflorescence is up to 2-3m tall with several large compound umbels of yellow-green flowers in late spring and summer. It is common on road verges, wasteland and in disturbed calcareous wetlands from Perth to Esperance. A native of Eurasia.

Foeniculum vulgare, PH

Hydrocotyle is a genus mostly of small annuals, often creeping and rooting at the nodes. There are 24 species in Western Australia, two of which are introduced. Consult a specialist text for exact identification. H. bonariensisis a glabrous perennial herb, stems creeping and rooting at the nodes, spreading to several metres across. Leaves umbrella-like, 3-12cm across, margins shallowly lobed. The inflorescence of compound umbels of white flowers is produced on short stalks just above the leaves in summer. Native to South America. Found in fresh water seeps on or near beaches in the Bunbury area and in drains in Perth.

Hydrocotyle bonariensis, GK

H. ranunculoides (hydrocotyl) DP is a stoloniferous, glabrous, aquatic perennial herb, able to cover many square metres of still, fresh water. The leaves are circular with a deep radial split, shallowly lobed, 4-12cm across, floating on the water surface. The inflorescences are compound, with small heads of white flowers, growing below the leaves in summer. Native to South America.

Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, RK

It is similar to H. bonariensisbut is a softer, lusher plant with smaller heads of flowers. It invaded the lower reaches of the Canning River in early 1990 and is still locally common through the southern Perth area.

H. ranunculoides, GK, in the Canning River.

Several garden plants are spreading around settlements. Among those recorded are: Apium graveolens (celery), a biennial herb to 1m, with solid or hollow ribbed stems, strongly aromatic. The leaves are once divided, leaflets ovate, margins wavy or toothed. The umbels are 3-4cm across, with white flowers. Native to Europe. Currently only recorded from the margins of Lake Joondalup, but possibly more widespread. Coriandrum sativum (coriander), Pastinaca sativa(parsnip), and Petroselinum crispum(parsley) persist in old garden sites or along roadsides around Perth. Parsley has also become established around caves in Yanchep National Park and on inhabited islands in the Abrolhos group.

Apium graveolens, GK