Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Dittrichia graveolens

Flowers. Photographer Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, western NSW

Flowering stem. Photographer Don Wood, Eurobodalla National Park south of Narooma

Spent flower. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer RCH Shepherd, near Dingee, Vic

Plant. Australian Plant Image Index, photographer Murray Fagg, near Murrumbidgee River, ACT

Common name

Stinkwort

Family

Asteraceae

Where found

Roadsides, disturbed sites, moist areas, along streams, and beaches. Widespread.

Notes

Introduced annual herb to 1.3 m tall.  Stems sticky hairy.  Leaves unpleasantly aromatic when rubbed. To some people it smells like camphor.  Basal leaves 2-10 cm long, 1-8 mm wide, soon withering. Stem leaves alternating up the stems, 1-6 cm long, 1-10 mm wide, surfaces hairy, sticky, margins entire or sometimes toothed, bases almost stem-clasping.  Flower heads below the 'petals' about 5-7 mm in diameter, bell-shaped, with 10-12 yellow 'petals' each 4-7 mm long.  Flower buds sometimes reddish.  Flower heads single at the bases of the leaves or in open clusters at the tops of the stems.  Flowers Summer to Autumn.  Can cause dermatitis. 

Noxious weed Vic.

PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Dittrichia~graveolens  (accessed 12 January, 2021)