Casuarinaceae & Chenopidiaceae

DICOTYLEDONS

CASUARINACEAE - Sheoak Family

This family is found mostly in Australia, but also extends into south-east Asia. It consists of some 70 species, all with leaves reduced to small teeth like tiny paper crowns encircling the ridged, green branchlets. In Western Australia there are 24 native species. It is known that three eastern Australian species have spread from sites where they have been planted; Casuarina cunninghamiana along a creek in John Forrest National Park; C. equisetifolia at the Greenough River mouth near Geraldton, and C. glauca at Pelican Point, Nedlands. It is possible that these and other species have also naturalised elsewhere. Consult a specialist text for identification.

CHENOPODIACEAE - Saltbush Family

A cosmopolitan family of about 1500 herbs, shrubs or small trees, concentrated in arid and semi-arid areas, often in saline sites. All have small, greenish, much-reduced flower parts. At least 186 species are native to Western Australia, while 12 may be naturalised. There are many native species of Atriplex and a detailed text is needed to be able to distinguish the species. Two introduced species are recorded as naturalised. A. prostrata (hastate orache) is a sprawling annual that may reach 1m in height. The leaves are more or less triangular. It is a weed of estuarine, saline sites from Jurien Bay to Ravensthorpe. Flowers in summer. Native to Europe, Asia and North America. A. leptocarpa (slender-fruit saltbush) has been introduced from eastern Australia into the wheatbelt, where it may have naturalised in some places. It is a spreading perennial to 30cm high. Other species are planted for rehabilitation of saline land and may be naturalised.

Atriplex prostrata , PH

Chenopodium (goosefoot) are annuals or weak shrubs, often with a mealy or scurfy surface. There are nine native and six naturalised species, and a specialised text should be consulted for exact identification. C. album (fat hen) is an erect, bushy, branched annual to 1m, mealy-white all over, especially on the flowers and underside of the leaves. Flowers both spring and autumn. Found from Moora to Ravensthorpe, common around Perth in summer in irrigated row crops and wasteland. A very common weed of horticulture. Native to Europe.

Chenopodium album , RR

C. ambrosioides (Mexican tea) is a bushy upright perennial to 1m, with yellow-green, elliptic, toothed leaves and amber-coloured glandular hairs. It smells strongly of turpentine and ants when crushed. It is common in table drains on disturbed roadsides around the Metropolitan area, and is also known from Albany. Native to tropical America. C. glaucum (oak-leaved goosefoot) is a sprawling annual with reddish stems and toothed, elliptic leaves, very mealy underneath. It grows from Geraldton to Esperance, in disturbed, nutrient-rich wetlands, including saline areas, and flowers in autumn and winter. It is an occasional weed of horticulture at Manjimup. There is some debate as to whether it is native or introduced, as it is a cosmopolitan plant. C. macrospermum is an erect annual up to 1m tall. The leaves are somewhat succulent, triangular in shape and mealy underneath. Grows on peat around slightly saline lakes near Perth and Bunbury and also occasionally in horticultural areas at Manjimup. Native to America. C. multifidum (scented goosefoot) is an aromatic branched perennial to 1 m tall. The leaves are deeply pinnate and the undersurface is covered with pale yellow glandular hairs. Flowers in summer. Found in disturbed wetland sites between Perth and Bunbury. Native to South America.

C. ambrosioides , PH

C. murale (green fat hen, nettle-leaved goosefoot) is an erect annual up to 1m, may be mealy when young. The leaves are broadly triangular, with coarse, irregular teeth. Flowers in winter and spring. Native to the Mediterranean and southern Asia.

C. murale , RR

C. pumilio (goosefoot) is a sprawling annual or short-lived perennial herb to 0.3m tall and wide, strongly aromatic, with glandular hairs. It germinates after summer rain, and causes problems in agricultural areas by reducing crop establishment in the following season. It is native to Western Australia.

C. pumilio , RR

Kochia scoparia (kochia, tumbleweed) DP was introduced into the south-west of the State from North America in 1990 as a forage and rehabilitation plant for saline areas. However, on realising that in other countries it is a major weed of cropping, an intensive eradication campaign began. This appears to be successful, although vigilance needs to be maintained for possible remaining plants. It is an annual to a height of 1.5m, forming a bush that breaks off and tumbles in the wind when dead.

Kochia scoparia , JD

Salsola kali (prickly saltwort, roly-poly) is a succulent annual or short-lived perennial herb, with recurved, pointed leaves. The flowers are in a terminal spike and the fruits are dry with a broad, papery wing. Dry plants can form 'tumbleweeds' and roll in the wind. It consists of both native and introduced forms and is widespread throughout Western Australia.Suaeda baccifera is a sprawling annual to 50cm, with cylindrical succulent leaves with a translucent margin. The small flowers give rise to succulent fruits. Occurs on highly saline sites in the wheatbelt. Native to Russia.

Salsola kali , RR

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A cosmopolitan family of about 1500 herbs, shrubs or small trees, concentrated in arid and semi-arid areas, often in saline sites. All have small, greenish, much-reduced flower parts. At least 186 species are native to Western Australia, while 12 may be naturalised. There are many native species of Atriplex and a detailed text is needed to be able to distinguish the species. Two introduced species are recorded as naturalised. *A. prostrata* (hastate orache) is a sprawling annual that may reach 1m in height. The leaves are more or less triangular. It is a weed of estuarine, saline sites from Jurien Bay to Ravensthorpe. Flowers in summer. Native to Europe, Asia and North America. *A. leptocarpa* (slender-fruit saltbush) has been introduced from eastern Australia into the wheatbelt, where it may have naturalised in some places. It is a spreading perennial to 30cm high. Other species are planted for rehabilitation of saline land and may be naturalised.	*Atriplex prostrata* , PH
*Chenopodium* (goosefoot) are annuals or weak shrubs, often with a mealy or scurfy surface. There are nine native and six naturalised species, and a specialised text should be consulted for exact identification. C. album (fat hen) is an erect, bushy, branched annual to 1m, mealy-white all over, especially on the flowers and underside of the leaves. Flowers both spring and autumn. Found from Moora to Ravensthorpe, common around Perth in summer in irrigated row crops and wasteland. A very common weed of horticulture. Native to Europe.	*Chenopodium album* , RR
*C. ambrosioides* (Mexican tea) is a bushy upright perennial to 1m, with yellow-green, elliptic, toothed leaves and amber-coloured glandular hairs. It smells strongly of turpentine and ants when crushed. It is common in table drains on disturbed roadsides around the Metropolitan area, and is also known from Albany. Native to tropical America. *C. glaucum* (oak-leaved goosefoot) is a sprawling annual with reddish stems and toothed, elliptic leaves, very mealy underneath. It grows from Geraldton to Esperance, in disturbed, nutrient-rich wetlands, including saline areas, and flowers in autumn and winter. It is an occasional weed of horticulture at Manjimup. There is some debate as to whether it is native or introduced, as it is a cosmopolitan plant. *C. macrospermum* is an erect annual up to 1m tall. The leaves are somewhat succulent, triangular in shape and mealy underneath. Grows on peat around slightly saline lakes near Perth and Bunbury and also occasionally in horticultural areas at Manjimup. Native to America. C. multifidum (scented goosefoot) is an aromatic branched perennial to 1 m tall. The leaves are deeply pinnate and the undersurface is covered with pale yellow glandular hairs. Flowers in summer. Found in disturbed wetland sites between Perth and Bunbury. Native to South America.	*C. ambrosioides* , PH
*C. murale* (green fat hen, nettle-leaved goosefoot) is an erect annual up to 1m, may be mealy when young. The leaves are broadly triangular, with coarse, irregular teeth. Flowers in winter and spring. Native to the Mediterranean and southern Asia.	*C. murale* , RR
*C. pumilio* (goosefoot) is a sprawling annual or short-lived perennial herb to 0.3m tall and wide, strongly aromatic, with glandular hairs. It germinates after summer rain, and causes problems in agricultural areas by reducing crop establishment in the following season. It is native to Western Australia.	*C. pumilio* , RR
*Kochia scoparia* (kochia, tumbleweed) DP was introduced into the south-west of the State from North America in 1990 as a forage and rehabilitation plant for saline areas. However, on realising that in other countries it is a major weed of cropping, an intensive eradication campaign began. This appears to be successful, although vigilance needs to be maintained for possible remaining plants. It is an annual to a height of 1.5m, forming a bush that breaks off and tumbles in the wind when dead.	*Kochia scoparia* , JD
*Salsola kali* (prickly saltwort, roly-poly) is a succulent annual or short-lived perennial herb, with recurved, pointed leaves. The flowers are in a terminal spike and the fruits are dry with a broad, papery wing. Dry plants can form 'tumbleweeds' and roll in the wind. It consists of both native and introduced forms and is widespread throughout Western Australia.Suaeda baccifera is a sprawling annual to 50cm, with cylindrical succulent leaves with a translucent margin. The small flowers give rise to succulent fruits. Occurs on highly saline sites in the wheatbelt. Native to Russia.	*Salsola kali* , RR