- Worldwide distribution. In Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.
- Moderately invasive weed forming dense stands in gardens, parks, roadsides, wastelands, and low-growing vegetable crops. Combining rapid germination, short life cycle, massive seed production, and tolerance to different soil types and full sun. Alternate host of several fungal pathogens.
- Erect stem, up to 80cm, woody, 4-sided stems, hairy; leaves opposite, oval, pointed-tips short stalks, serrated margins; flowerheads yellow, arising from leaf axils, or end of stems, disc (inner) and ray (outer) florets, surrounded by leafy bracts. Seeds with bristles.
- Spread: seed on the wind, water, debris, clothing. Contaminant of crop seeds.
- Biosecurity: check for seed on clothing and vehicles.
- Biocontrol: none.
- Cultural control: hand-weed. Clean machinery/vehicles.
- Chemical control: in Australia, MCPA + terbutryn.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Cinderella weed (490)
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Summary
Common Name
Cinderella weed. It is also known as synedrella.
Scientific Name
Synedrella nodiflora; previously, it was known as Verbesina nodiflora. It is a member of the Asteraceae.
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2019) Synedrella nodiflora (synedrella). Invasive Species Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/52325); and from Le Bourgeois T, Pascal M (2020) Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn. WIKTROP. (https://portal.wiktrop.org/species/show/320). Photo 1 Dinesh Valke Ngaroiarui (in Maori) Asteraceae (aster, daisy, or sunflower family) Synedrella nodiflora. family). Photo 2 Tau'olunga Synedrella nodiflora (pakaka in Tonga), a weed, almost lookalike but different from Eleutheranthera ruderalis.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/185: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
