MONOCOTYLEDONS
AGAVACEAE - Agave Family
This family has some 600 species, that are often found in warm arid zones. Many species are planted in gardens, and may persist around settlement sites, but only one can so far be considered truly naturalised. Agave
americana
(century plant) is a robust perennial with giant rosettes of
stiff, spine-tipped leaves, with numerous teeth (to 1cm
long) along their margins. The flowers are carried on stems
up to 7m tall and are produced in summer, with plants
flowering only once then dying soon after. It forms thickets
by suckering and can be found at various sites around old
settlements from Shark Bay to Israelite Bay. The sap can
cause contact dermatitis. A.
sisalana
(sisal), which is grown in other countries for its fibres,
became naturalised on Rottnest Island, but has since been
eradicated. It is very similar to |
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Furcraea foetida (Cuba hemp) has become naturalised at Kings Park and possibly elsewhere. It is similar to century plant but has green, rather than grey-green, untoothed leaves. The flowering stems reach 10m high, and produce pendulous white flowers in summer. Native to Central America. Yucca aloifolia (yucca) has a rosette of stiff, bayonet-like leaves arising from a stout stalk and produces a huge pyramid of cream, bell-shaped flowers in spring. A garden escape, it persists around old settlements, such as at Busselton and in Kings Park. Native to south-eastern USA. |
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ALISMATACEAE - Water Plantain Family
A cosmopolitan family of perennial herbs, either aquatic or growing in wetlands. Three species in Western Australia, one naturalised. Alisma
lanceolatum
is an ornamental aquatic plant arising from a rhizome, with
narrow lanceolate leaves borne above the water level. The
pinkish white flowers are held aloft on a slender, branched
stalk, and are produced in summer. Found in drains and
wetlands near Harvey. Native to Eurasia. |
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ALLIACEAE - Onion Family
A family of Northern Hemisphere perennials, mostly with bulbs or corms. Worldwide there are about 570 species, with six naturalised in Western Australia. There are about
400 different species of Allium, all characterised by having an 'oniony' smell. They flower
in spring, dying back each winter to regrow from the bulb.
Besides those grown as a vegetable, some species are also
grown for their attractive flowers. |
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A.
triquetrum
(three-cornered garlic) has a distinctive three-cornered
stem and a bunch of drooping white flowers each up to 1.5cm
long. A garden escape, it favours moist soils around
creeklines and granite rocks, and is a potentially very
serious bushland weed, as it can soon dominate the ground
layer. All the above are native to southern Europe and North
Africa. |
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Ipheion uniflorum grows from a bulb and has narrow, strap-like leaves. In spring it has pale blue star-shaped flowers to 15cm tall. A garden escape, currently known to be naturalised in the Perth area and at Busselton and Kojonup. Native to Argentina.
Nothoscordum gracile (wasN. borbonicum) (false onion weed) has several strap-like leaves arising from a bulb and is superficially similar to three-cornered garlic. However, it does not have an 'oniony' smell and produces a cluster of white, scented flowers on a cylindrical stalk up to 50cm tall in late spring. It produces many small, white, basal bulbils. Found on roadsides, wasteland and in disturbed bushland between Perth and Albany. Native to South America. |
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