C. juncea is a thin, spindly, herbaceous perennial. In addition to a deep (2 m) taproot, it has lateral roots that produce daughter rosettes. Plants also grow from buds on root fragments cut by cultivation or other equipment. It has a basal rosette of dandelion-like leaves, up to 20 cm long, glabrous. They are rush-like in appearance, up to 150 cm bright green or yellow-green with multiple, slender, leafless branches and reddish downward-pointing hairs near the base. Rosette and stem leaves are deciduous. Flowers 1-2 cm across have yellow, daisy-like capitulae, borne singly or in small clusters, almost sessile on the virtually leafless stem. Fruits are achenes, white to dark, 3-4 mm long, with pappus of white toothed bristles 5-8 mm long on a beak of similar length. The leaves, stems and roots exude milky latex when damaged (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992).
Related invasive species
- Chondrilla juncea
Related Farm Practice
- Thinning
- Fragmentation
- Rooting
- Damage
- Cuttings
C. juncea is a herbaceous biennial or perennial plant native to parts of Western Europe, north Africa and central Asia. It was accidentally introduced into a number of regions around the world as a contaminant of plant material, seed and fodder. C. juncea is invasive in Australia, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and a number of states in the USA. C. juncea produces a large tap root which can compete with native plant species for nutrients and water. In Australia and Argentina it is a major problem of wheat fields and can reduce yields by 80%. In the USA, C. juncea is one of the invasive species impacting on the threatened species Silene spaldingii. A number of distinct genotypes of C. juncea exist which makes control of this species difficult. In addition to this, C. juncea is resistant to a large number of herbicides.
In Australia and Argentina, C. juncea is a major problem of wheat fields and can reduce yields by 80%.