 Description: A bristly, annual or biennial (lasting 2 years) herb with a rosette or deeply divided leaves with toothed margins with a much larger rounded terminal lobe that grows to 90cm high. The stems are wiry with pale yellow terminal flowers. As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium, Low Potassium, Very high phosphate, Very high Magnesium, Very low Manganese, High Iron, High Sulphur, High Copper, High Zinc, High Boron, High Chlorine, High Selenium, High Salt, Very little organic matter, Anaerobic bacteria, Prefers damp soils. Life cycle: Annual or biennial. Seeds germinate mainly in autumn with some in spring. It forms a rosette of leaves over winter and sends up a branched flowering stem in spring. It usually dies off in summer but some plants in moist conditions may survive into their second season. Beneficial: Nectary plant. Leaves and shoots edible. Used in herbal medicine for colds and chest complaints Detrimental: May taint milk. Relatively unpalatable Toxicity: Not recorded as toxic 
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 Description: A rapid growing, finely hairy, climbing perennial vine with purple-blue, bell shaped flowers at most times of the year with a flush from November to April. Unlike many of the other morning glory species, it is mainly a weed of agricultural areas and disturbed sites (e.g. crops, roadsides, parks, gardens, fence-lines and waste areas). However, it also invades bushland and riparian areas and can be a serious environmental weed in warm moist areas, where it chokes out native plants. As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium, Very low Potassium, Very low phosphate, High Magnesium, High Iron, Very high Sulphur, High Copper, High Zinc, High Boron, High Selenium Very little organic matter, Anaerobic bacteria, Prefers damp soils. Life cycle: Perennial. Widely naturalised in the warmer parts of eastern Australia (i.e. eastern Queensland and the coastal districts of New South Wales). Beneficial: Ornamental and medicinal uses. Leaves reported to be used as pig food. Seeds are strongly purgative. Detrimental: Vigorous fast growing. Once established it is difficult to control Toxicity: Not recorded as toxic
 Description: A many branched, robust, biennial or annual herb, usually 1.5 metres tall with twice divided leaves, many white flowers in spring in umbrella like arrangements at the top and with an unpleasant mousy or parsnip like smell when crushed. The stems are hollow and usually have distinctive purplish blotches. As A Soil Indicator: Low Calcium, High Potassium, Very high Magnesium, Very high Manganese, Very high Iron, High Sulphur, Very high Copper, Very high Zinc, Very high Boron, Very high Chloride, High Selenium Very little organic matter, Anaerobic bacteria, Prefers damp soils. Life cycle: Biennial or annual. Seedlings germinate in autumn and sometimes in spring, producing a coarse rosette initially and a deep taproot. Some plants flower in their first spring or summer and die. Others remain vegetative and flower in their second spring and summer then die. It may become perennial in regularly cut situations like Lucerne. Detrimental: Very toxic. Weed of moist areas, especially along roadsides, ditches, creeks, lucerne, gardens, alluvial flats, rubbish dumps, disturbed areas and in pasture. May cause dermatitis after handling in some people. Hosts carrot fly and celery yellow spot.. Toxicity: Very toxic plant. Contains a number of toxic alkaloids. Eating leaves, roots and seeds mistakenly have caused human deaths. Leaves may be mistaken for parsley, roots for parsnip and seed for aniseed. Most toxic when green and varies with climatic conditions. Livestock usually don't eat the plant but contaminated fodder can cause problems. Many cases of poisoning in cattle, pigs, horses and poultry are reported. Sheep and goats appear to be more tolerant. Young stock are more susceptible than old stock. Taints milk. Secondary poisoning may occur.
 Description: Caltrop is a flat, sprawling, summer-growing, annual herb. Stems. Caltrop has numerous green to reddish brown stems radiating from a crown. It grows prostrate to 2 m long with many branches and fine hairs. As A Soil Indicator: Low Calcium, Very Low Potassium, High Phosphorous, High Magnesium, High Iron, High Aluminum Very little organic matter, Anaerobic bacteria, Occurs on a wide range of soils. More abundant on sandy soils.. Life cycle: Annual or short lived perennial. Seed germinates from spring to autumn after rain and it grows rapidly producing deep roots. It grows mainly in the warmer months. It grows profusely after summer rains and flowers mainly in summer and autumn. The flowers open in the morning and close or drop their petals in the afternoon. They usually die in autumn or winter after the first frosts. In tropical areas the deep taproot develops and the plant becomes a perennial. Beneficial: Nectary plant. Fodder. Kills bacteria and used in herbal medicine as a diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac. Detrimental: Injures animal feet. Contaminates wool. Contaminates dried fruit. Injures shearers and wool, fruit and vegetables handlers. Toxicity: Dense infestations may be toxic to stock causing photo sensitisation of skin around lips, ears and eyes followed by swelling of the head. Sheep are more commonly affected than cattle. Causes a chronic staggers mainly in the British breeds of sheep. Spiny burr may cause injury to feet and intestines of stock and form pussy sores where they penetrate the frog of horses hooves. It can accumulate nitrate and oxalate levels high enough to cause nitrate poisoning and oxalate poisoning in stock especially after spraying with industrial chemical herbicides.
 Description: A large, dark green, vigorous, leathery and invading fern with 'Christmas tree' shaped fronds. Produces toxins that retard the growth and germination of other species. As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium, High Potassium, High Zinc, High Aluminum Very little organic matter, More common in Sandy or well drained soils. Life cycle: Perennial. Spores germinate in ash beds and complete the sexual portion of their life. Asexual ferns form and produce patches. Shading or allelopathy (the production of toxins) usually eliminates other plants within the patches. New fronds emerge from underground rhizomes in spring, and mature over summer. These fronds die in winter (usually after frost) and fall, smothering other plants. Patches spread about 1 m per year. Beneficial: Apparently used for Aboriginal and Maori food, bedding, thatch. Detrimental: Produces toxins that retard the growth and germination of other species. Toxicity: Toxic to sheep, pigs, people and especially horses and cattle when eaten in large quantities. Green fronds are most toxic, but dead fronds and rhizomes are also toxic. Hay containing Bracken can be toxic Legislation: The Wildlife Conservation Act prohibits the removal of this species from natural stands on government land.
 Description: An erect or sprawling, annual or biennial herb to 1.5 metres with round lobed leaves, heart shaped cotyledons, small, 5-petalled white or pink flowers from April to November. As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium, high Potassium, very high Magnesium, high Iron, Low humas in the soil, anaerobic bacteria dominate, potential waterlogged area, compacted soil, poor drainage, High Aluminum levels Life cycle: Annual or biennial. Germinates in spring to autumn and grows rapidly. Flowers August-December. Spring germinating plants may flower when only a few centimetres high and survive over summer to become biennial. Beneficial: Palatable fodder Detrimental: Weed of stock yards, crops, vegetables, pastures, gardens, roadsides, waterways and disturbed areas. Difficult to control. May cause staggers in stock that graze significant quantities. It is a potential host of Root Lesion Nematodes (Pratylenchus neglectus) allowing some build up of numbers Toxicity: Sheep, especially lambs are more susceptible than cattle or horses to poisoning. Most cases occur in the July to October period with some as late as December when Mallow has made up a large part of their diet for days or weeks. Toxicity may be passed to lambs through milk. May contain toxic quantities of nitrate in unmanaged overfertilised pasture.
 Description: Bidens pilosa is an annual plant producing an erect, much-branched stem up to 100cm tall, though the plant can often flower, seed and then die when much smaller As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium , Very low Phosphorus, High Potassium, High Magnesium, High Manganese, High Boron Life cycle: Bidens pilosa normally behaves as an annual weed but at least one form, B. pilosa var. radiata, may behave as a perennial. One isolated plant can produce over 30,000 seeds, which are generally highly viable. Seeds germinate on the soil surface or in shallow soil (to a depth of 1 cm). Seeds at greater depths remain viable in the soil for many years. There is usually a great flush of germination after tillage of the soil. Seeds are widely dispersed through the fruits hook-like bristles that embed themselves in clothing and the fur of mammals and feathers of birds. They are also spread by wind, water and soil. Beneficial: Roots, leaves and seed have been reported to possess antibacterial, ant dysenteric, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antimalarial, diuretic, hepato-protective and hypotensive activities. Detrimental: Bidens pilosa is a serious weed in many cropping systems in many countries where it reduces yield because of its fast growth and competitive abilities which include allopathic properties. Family: Asteraceae, which are known for attracting beneficial insects
 Description: Scotch thistle is an erect annual or biennial herb to 2 m high, commonly 1 to 1.2 m. Generally one main stem with numerous branches, covered with dense, appressed, woolly hairs giving it a whitish-grey appearance. It has broad spiny wings along the stems. The flower heads are purple and round with spiny bracts. As A Soil Indicator: Low Calcium, High Potassium. High Manganese, High Magnesium, Very low Iron, High Sulfate, High Boron, Low humus in the soil , Limited bacteria, Compacted soil , Poor drainage Life cycle: Annual or biennial. Seed germinate at any time with a flush of germination in late summer to early autumn or late winter to spring. Plants that germinate in late summer form sizeable rosettes before the onset of winter. Seedlings from late autumn or early winter may suffer a very high natural mortality. Beneficial: Apparently once cultivated as a medicinal plant for treating skin sores and ulcers. The roots, young shoots and flower buds were eaten as vegetables. Flowers can be used to make a ‘rennet’ to set cheese. Mineral accumulator Detrimental: A weed of improved pastures, crops, fallows and disturbed areas. It is strongly competitive. Newly sown pastures are often overrun by Scotch Thistle in infested areas. It is too spiny to be readily grazed. Damages mouths and eyes of stock and contaminates wool. Toxicity: Not recorded as toxic
 Description: Blackberry Nightshade is an erect herb or small short-lived bushy shrub to 1 m high. The leaves are 2-7.5 cm long, entire or very shallowly lobed. The flowers are white, in short-stalked clusters of 4-12 flowers. Life cycle: Annual or rarely perennial herb or small shrub. Germination occurs mainly in spring and summer. Flowering occurs 5-9 weeks after germination and continues until the plant dies. Plant death is usually determined by environmental conditions rather than age and drought, cold or frost kills them. In some environments they behave as annuals and in milder conditions they act as perennials. Beneficial: Mature fruit used for jam. Used as a herb. Used in dyes in preserved fruits. Detrimental: It is an alternate host for diseases including anthracnose, Cercospora, blight, leaf spot and powdery mildew, at least 13 nematodes, 3 bacterial diseases, 7 fungal diseases including Rhizoctonia and over 30 crop viruses. Toxicity: The plant does not appear to be toxic at all times, and toxicity may be restricted to certain stages of growth, be influenced by particular growing conditions, or be a characteristic of only certain strains of what is a somewhat variable species. Immature fruit should be treated as toxic
 Description: A rosette forming, biennial or perennial plant with backward pointing lobes on its leaves and single bright yellow daisy-like flowers on long stalks and milky sap As A Soil Indicator: Very low Calcium, Very high Magnesium, High Chlorine, Low humus in the soil , Good drainage Life cycle: Biennial or perennial. Seeds germinate in autumn and to a lesser extent in spring. It grows mainly in the warmer months. Beneficial: Honey plant. Attracts beneficial insects. Leaves bitter but edible as a salad vegetable. Roasted roots are ground and used as a coffee substitute. Does not host Root Lesion Nematodes Naturalised Distribution: widely naturalised in southern and eastern Australia (i.e. in eastern Queensland, many parts of New South Wales and South Australia, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and south western Western Australia). Also naturalised in the southern parts of the Northern Territory, and Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island Toxicity: Suspected of causing hay fever.
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