MONOCOTYLEDONS

ARECACEAE - Palm Family

A family of tropical trees and vines, with three native and two naturalised in Western Australia. Many are planted as food plants or ornamentals.

Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) has been planted at settlements throughout the arid zone, and it often persists after human habitation ceases, forming dense thickets by suckers and also growing from seed. At Millstream it is a serious weed, impeding water flow and displacing the native Millstream palm. It is also spreading at Lake Kununurra, where it is of considerable concern, and at various wetlands in the arid zone.


Phoenix dactylifera . GK

Washingtonia filifera (cotton palm) has also escaped and is spreading at Kununurra, Millstream, and in the Perth area.


Washingtonia filifera . RR

ASPARAGACEAE - Asparagus Family

This is a family of some 110 perennials, arising from rhizomes or tubers. They have a wide distribution in Africa, Europe, western Asia and northern Australia. In Western Australia there are five species, one native and four naturalised.

Asparagus asparagoides (bridal creeper, florists' smilax) - (was Myrsiphyllum asparagoides). This southern African plant is one of the State's most urgent environmental weed problems. Introduced as a garden twiner and for floral arrangement, birds relish its fleshy fruits and spread the seeds in their droppings. It is extremely invasive, spreading rapidly along roadsides, creeklines and even into undisturbed bushland. A perennial, it flowers in spring, dies down in summer, then shoots rapidly to climb and sprawl over other vegetation, eventually smothering it. Bridal creeper is a very serious weed, especially in coastal dune ecosystems, throughout the south-west from Dongara to Cocklebiddy.


Asparagus asparagoides . RR

A. crispus (was M. declinatum) is also a twiner with a similar life form but it can be distinguished by its very finely divided leaves. Naturalised in Kings Park, at Bunbury and possibly elsewhere, it also has the potential to become very invasive. Native to South Africa. A. densiflorus (asparagus fern) (was Protasparagus densiflorus) is another fleshy-fruited ornamental scrambler with the potential to spread extensively. It is similar to bridal creeper but has stem thorns and linear leaves. So far it has only been recorded as naturalising at Wanneroo. Native to southern Africa.


A. crispus . RR

A. officinalis (asparagus) is grown as a vegetable, and has spread into disturbed creek banks and wastelands from Perth to Williams. It has small, cream, bell-shaped flowers in spring, followed by red berries, dying back over summer to shoot again from the rhizome. Native to Europe.


A. officinalis . PH

ASPHODELACEAE - Asphodel Family

A worldwide family of some 800 species, mostly herbs with rhizomes or tubers. Western Australia has three native and three naturalised species.

Asphodelus fistulosus (onion weed) is a short-lived perennial that produces a lax clump of hollow, cylindrical leaves up to 40cm long. These look like onion leaves but they do not have an 'oniony' smell. The flowers, white with a brownish central stripe, are carried on a branched stalk to 60cm high and are produced in winter and spring. Found from Exmouth to Eucla, it is a widespread and invasive weed of calcareous soils, particularly abundant along road and rail verges, from where it is invading disturbed bushland, including arid pastoral areas. An occasional weed of horticulture in Perth. Native to southern Europe and India.


Asphodelus fistulosus .RC

Trachyandra divaricata (strapweed, dune onion weed) is a similar plant to onion weed, but it has flat leaves and the flowering stalk is repeatedly and widely branched. It flowers in spring and the white petals often have a pair of yellow spots near their base. Again, no smell of onions. It is widespread through the lower south-west from Jurien Bay to Albany, especially in interdunal beach heathland and roadsides on calcareous sandy soils. Native to South Africa.


Trachyandra divaricata . RC

Previous page Cannaceae, Colchicaceae & Commelinaceae


Back to home page.

Webmaster: Rod Randall