Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Calenduleae
Genus: Chrysanthemoides
Species: C. monilifera
Binomial name: Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Subspecies: Chrysanthemoides monilifera subspecies monilifera
Common names: Boneseed, Saltbush
Chrysanthemoides monilifera subspecies monilifera is an evergreen flowering shrub or small tree up to 2-3 m tall, with Smooth, leathery, bright-green leaves (70 x 35 mm) that have irregularly toothed margins and they are arranged alternately on the stems. It belongs to the Asteraceae (daisy) family. It is native to South Africa.
In New Zealand, this invasive weed inhabits sand dunes, estuary margins, coastal cliffs, scrubland and our offshore islands. It is quick growing and forms a dense cover that shades out everything else. In September to February bright yellow flowers (25-30 mm diameter) are produced these develop into green oval fruit that becomes black on ripening. Each fruit contains one seed. A single bush can produce 50 000 seeds every year, and each seed can that can persist in the soil seed bank for 10 years or more, The seeds are spread by birds, animals, by gravity spreading seed below parent plants and by water.
The flowers of Chrysanthemoides monilifera
An interview on Boneseed
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Weed-Of-The-Week/tabid/506/articleID/133586/Default.aspx
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
