TREAT

Chukrasia tabularis - Indian Red Wood, Chittagong Wood, Chickrassia

Family: Meliaceae

Origin: India, China and South-East Asia

Tree to 40m, deciduous.

Leaves compound, alternate, leaflets 8-24, opposite or alternate, upperside glabrous or sparsely hairy, underside hairy or sparesly hairy, domatia present as tufts of hairs.

Inflorescence an axillary or terminal panicle.

Flower petals 4 or 5, green, white, cream or pink, 10-16 mm long; calyx green pink or red. December.

Fruit a capsule, brown, 25-50 mm long x 25-40 mm wide, woody, 3-5 valved; seeds numerous, about 12 mm long, brown, winged. May.

Distribution: now naturalised on the Atherton Tablelands, altitude 650 - 750m.

Coffea arabica - Arabian Coffee, Coffee

Family: Rubiaceae

Origin: Native to central Africa.

Shrub or tree to 6m.

Leaves simple, 70-200 X 30-90 mm, glabrous, domatia may be present as foveoles, translucent dots may be visible with a lens; petioles 8-12 mm long; stipules 2-4 mm long.

Inflorescence an axillary fascicle.

Flower diameter 18-25 mm; petals 5, white or cream; calyx green fragrant. October to November.

Fruit a drupe, red, 12-16mm long and 10-15mm wide; seeds 1 or 2, green or cream, 10-14 mm long May to August.

Notes fruit eaten by many bird species.

Coffee has invaded undisturbed rainforest and rainforest margins on the Atherton Tableland, in particular at the Lake Barrine section of Crater Lakes National Park.

Control - hand remove smaller plants, cut stump and paint with herbicide.

Duranta erecta - Duranta, Sky Flower

Family: Verbenaceae

Origin: Native to southern USA.

Naturalised distribution: coastal districts of eastern Australia.

Habitat: a weed of disturbed sites, open woodlands, and riparian areas.

Habit: a slightly spiny upright shrub or small tree, with drooping brances, usually 4-6 m tall, occasionally to 7 m.

Distinguishing features:

• Its oppositely arranged leaves are sometimes toothed towards their tips.
• Its blue or light purple tubular flowers are borne in elongated clusters.
• It is most easily distinguished by its large clusters of yellow-orange mature fruit.

Reproduction and dispersal: this species reproduces mainly be seed, commonly dispersed by birds or in dumped garden waste.

Other impacts: the leaves and fruit are poisonous to people and animals.

Erythrina x sykesii - Common Coral Tree

Family: Fabaceae

Origin: a hybrid of horticultural origin, probably developed in Australia or New Zealand.

Habit: tree

Coral trees have bright red flowers from mid winter to mid spring.

It is semi-deciduous and very hardy - it likes the wet soils along creeks but also can adapt to dry areas.

It can block the flow of creeks and cause creek bank erosion, causing other trees to fall over. It has vicious thorns so needs to be handled carefully with gloves. Injuries from the spikes require antiseptic to prevent infection.

Notes: This species does not produce viable seed and only propagates vegetatively, via stem segments and suckers. Logs, branches and twigs will grow into new plants, and they break easily, aiding its spread during floods. Primarily a problem along creeks and rivers.

Local notes: Scattered patches of Common Coral tree occur on the Atherton Tablelands, usually escaped from cultivation.

Recommended Control methods

• Organic: A backhoe is used to completely remove tree. This is a good method where there is easy access and where falling branches are a danger, but does cause substantial soil disturbance.
• Physically Inject Chemical to Tree: The tree is injected with 100% glyphosate, and after at least 24 hours (it is preferable to wait till the tree de-foliates if possible, approx 6 weeks) it is then chopped down, with all pieces removed off site for disposal. If the larger trunks and branches can't be removed then inject these as well. The stump should be re-injected with glyphosate if it reshoots.
• Inject Chemical to Stump: The stump is injected with 100% glyphosate then left standing. It can take from 6-18 months for the tree to fall over. Then remove as much as possible from the site, inject anything that is not completely removed. This can be done anytime of the year but is best in spring.

Any plant material removed can be chipped, mulched or burned although burning can be difficult due to the high moisture content.

Ipomoea indica - Blue morning glory

Family Convolvulaceae

Vine: twiner; stems hairy.

Leaves simple, unlobed or 3 lobed, 30-180 X 25-150 mm; upperside hairy, underside velvet hairy, petioles 10-130mm long hairy.

Inflorescence axillary, 2-many flowered.

Flower diameter 65-80mm, blue or purple with paler bands and a dark or pale throat, calyx green. May - November.

Fruit a capsule, about 10 x 10mm, 3 valved. Not seen in Australia.

Distribution: a native of America, now naturalised in rainforest, disturbed areas and open forest.

More weeds

Weeds Why bother? - Declared Weeds - Lantana - Local Law Declared weeds

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