Phil Bendle Collection:Conyza sumatrensis (Broad-leaved fleabane)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Astereae
Genus: Conyza
Species: C. sumatrensis
Binomial name: Conyza sumatrensis
Synonyms: Conyza groegeri, Erigeron sumatrensis, Conyza albida,
Erigeron albidus, Erigeron floribundus, Conyza floribunda.
Common name: Broad-leaved fleabane, Tall fleabane, White horseweed, Sumatran fleabane, Tropical horseweed

Conyza sumatrensis is an annual herb probably native to South America but widely naturalised in tropical and subtropical regions. It is regarded as an invasive weed in many places including New Zealand. In New Zealand is a common weed of roadsides and waste areas. In recent years it has been more common on farms where they are not readily eaten by animals and are it is often seen along fence-lines where they can short out electric fences.

Conyza sumatrensis reaches one to two metres in height when fully grown (in summer or autumn). It starts off as a rosette which then sprouts tall upright stems which branch near the top and produce large numbers of small, seed-heads which are like dandelions, but straw coloured and smaller. They release massive numbers of wind-blown seeds. The seeds are tiny and are attached to short fluffy pappus which allows the seed to blow around in the wind.

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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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