Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Common name
Boneseed, African boneseed, Bitou bush
Family
Asteraceae
Where found
subsp. monilifera: Forest, woodland, grassy areas, roadsides, disturbed sites, coastal dunes, and near streams. Coastal north from Moruya. Mountains west of Sydney.
subsp. rotundata: Forest, woodland, and dunes. Coastal and including Sydney area inland from the coast.
Notes
Introduced shrub to 3 m tall, occasionally a tree to 6m tall. Fruit fleshy. Young growth hairy to white woolly, becoming hairless. Leaves somewhat fleshy, alternating up the stems, 2-9 cm long, 10-55 mm wide, hairy, glossy green, margins entire to toothed, tips pointed or blunt. Flower heads 15-30 mm in diameter overall, with 4-13 'yellow petals', and yellow centres, bell-shaped behind the 'petals', single or in clusters of 3-12. Fruit purplish black when ripe. Flowers most of year, mainly Winter to Summer.
A Weed of National Significance. General Biosecurity Duty with additional restrictions all NSW. Pest plant ACT. Noxious weed Vic.
CONTROL ORDER (subsp. monilifera): If you see this plant report it to your local control authority or the NSW DPI Biosecurity Helpline 1800 680 244
subsp. monilifera: Shrub to 3 m tall, occasionally a tree to 6m tall. Leaves 2-9 cm long, 10-50 mm wide. Leaf margins usually toothed. Leaf bases gradually narrow towards the stems.
subsp. rotundata: Shrub to 2 m tall. Leaves 2-8 cm long, 15-55 mm wide. Leaf margins usually not toothed. Leaf bases abruptly narrow towards the stems.
PlantNET description of species and key to subspecies: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Chrysanthemoides~monilifera (accessed 7 January, 2021)
This identification key and fact sheets are available as a free mobile application:
