Macroptilium atropurpureum
Siratro
©Anne Hoggett: Macroptilium atropurpureum at base of gully on SW side of Cook's Look, Lizard Island.
Kingdom
Plantae
Division
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Macroptilium
Species
Macroptilium atropurpureum
Colours
Distinguishing features
A creeping and climbing legume with broad trifoliate leaves 2-7 cm long with spiky hairs on the underside. Dark purple pea flowers develop into long narrow seed pods.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Synonyms
Comments
This plant is native to tropical America and is used in Australia as a pasture plant. It is an environmental weed that smothers native plants. It pops up occasionally on the LIRS lease where it is controlled by hand removal or by spraying with the herbicide Brushoff as advised by QPWS (1 g granules dissolved in 10 litres freshwater).
by Anne Hoggett
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: This weed has been at Lizard Island since at least the early 1990s.
Local feral populations
- Lizard Island: Regarded as a serious weed - introduced and invasive
Web resources
References
- Colvill, A., M. Ahmet, S. Clag and B. Haigh (2004). Lizard Island fauna and flora sampling report.Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. LIRS catalog number 10067.
- De Sloover, J.R. and A.-L. Jacquemart (2008). Nymph Island (Great Barrier Reef, Qld., Australia): Flora and vegetation of a low wooded island, Scripta Botanica Belgica, 43: 1-88. LIRS catalog number 1210.