Oncosiphon suffruticosus

Onocosiphon suffruticosus (often spelled suffruticosum), the shrubby mayweed, is a flowering plant native to Namibia and the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa.[1] In Afrikaans it is known as knoppiesstinkkruid, the "button stink herb". The species is listed on the SANBI Red List as "safe" (LC).[2]

Oncosiphon suffruticosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Oncosiphon
Species:
O. suffruticosus
Binomial name
Oncosiphon suffruticosus
(L.) Källersjö
Synonyms
  • Oncosiphon suffruticosum orth var.
  • Cotula tanacetifolia L.
  • Matricaria multiflora Fenzl ex. Harv.
  • Pentzia suffruticosa (L.) Hutch. ex. Merxm.

Description

Shrubby mayweed is an annual plant with leaves that have an irritating smell. The flower consists of many yellow buttons around 5 mm (0.20 in) in diameter.[3] It grows knee-high and has feathery gray-green leaves. It grows in barren, sandy soils, such as the shores of salt marshes.

Ecology

In South Africa, it is a weed that can seriously challenge crops, due to its strong smell that repels most livestock and adversely affects the taste of milk and meat from animals that do consume it. Fortunately, it only propagates by direct seeding and therefore spreads slowly.[4]

In Australia, it is considered an invasive species.[5]

References
  1. "Oncosiphon suffruticosus (L.) Källersjö". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  2. "SANBI Red List". SANBI.
  3. "whatspecies.com". 2016-06-22.
  4. "Regional weeds in winter and fall". Grain SA.
  5. "Australian control of invasive plants" (PDF). South Australia Department for Environment and Water.
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