Galenia pubescens
| Galenia pubescens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Aizoaceae |
| Genus: | Galenia |
| Species: | G. pubescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Galenia pubescens (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Druce | |
Galenia pubescens (Galenia or Coastal Galenia) is a low-growing perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae.[1][2] It is native to southern Africa and naturalised elsewhere.[1]
Description
The species is prostrate or decumbent with ovate to spatulate leaves which are covered with hairs when young.[1] The flowers are white with a slight pink tinge and yellow with age.[1] These are followed by capsules which contain shiny, black seeds to 1 mm in length.[1]
Naturalisation
In Australia the species is naturalised in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.[3] In New South Wales, the species is regarded as a noxious weed in the Liverpool Plains and Tamworth regions under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993.[1]
The species is a scourge of beekeeping - it produces nectar profusely and bees like it, but the nectar makes honey taste so bad that it is inedible for humans.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Galenia pubescens". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
- ↑ "Galenia pubescens". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
- ↑ "Galenia pubscens". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2009-04-25.