PLANT PROFILES —
COMMON WEEDS OF NEW ZEALAND

Reproduced from
Common Weeds of New Zealand
by Ian Popay, Paul Champion & Trevor James
ISBN 0 473 09760 5
by kind permission of the
New Zealand Plant Protection Society

Publication or other use of images or descriptive text on these pages is unauthorised unless written permission is obtained from the authors and publisher.
Appropriate acknowledgement of the publication Common Weeds of New Zealand must always be given.

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Index of Names

These names are reproduced from the List of Contents in Common Weeds of New Zealand.

Plant names with links go to the sample pages from that publication.

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Acanthaceae - acanthus

Acanthus mollis   bear's breeches

Aceraceae - maple

Acer pseudoplatanus   sycamore

Aizoaceae - mesembryanthemum

Carpobrotus edulis  ice plant

Alismataceae - water plantain

Alisma plantago-aquatica   water plantain

Alliaceae - onion

Allium triquetrum   three-cornered garlic

Amaranthaceae - amaranth

Alternanthera philoxeroides   alligator weed

Amaranthus deflexus   prostrate amaranth

Amaranthus powellii   redroot

Apiaceae - carrot

Aegopodium podagraria   goutweed

Anthriscus caucalis   beaked parsley

Apium nodiflorum   water celery

Conium maculatum   hemlock

Daucus carota   wild carrot

Foeniculum vulgare   fennel

Heracleum mantegazzianum   giant hogweed

Hydrocotyle moschata   hydrocotyle

Hydrocotyle tripartita   Australian hydrocotyle

Oenanthe pimpinelloides   parsley dropwort

Pastinaca sativa   wild parsnip

Petroselinum crispum   wild parsley

Sison amomum   stone parsley

Apocynaceae - periwinkle

Vinca major   periwinkle

Aponogetonaceae - pondweed

Aponogeton distachyus   Cape pondweed

Araceae - arum

Alocasia brisbanensis   elephant's ear

Arum italicum   Italian arum

Zantedeschia aethiopica   arum lily

Araliaceae - ivy

Hedera helix   ivy

Tetrapanax papyriferus   rice-paper plant

Asclepiadaceae - asclepia

Araujia sericifera   moth plant

Asparagaceae - asparagus

Asparagus asparagoides   smilax

Asparagus scandens   climbing asparagus

Asphodelaceae - asphodel

Asphodelus fistulosus  asphodel

Asteraceae - daisy

Achillea millefolium   yarrow

Ageratina adenophora   Mexican devil

Anthemis cotula   stinking mayweed

Arctium minus   burdock

Arctotheca calendula   Cape weed

Artemisia verlotiorum   mugwort

Aster subulatus   sea aster

Bellis perennis   daisy

Bidens frondosa   beggars' ticks

Carduus nutans   nodding thistle

Carduus tenuiflorus   winged thistle

Carthamus lanatus   saffron thistle

Centaurea calcitrapa   star thistle

Centaurea nigra   knapweed

Centipeda cunninghamii   sneezeweed

Chrysanthemoides monilifera   boneseed

Cichorium intybus   chicory

Cirsium arvense   Californian thistle

Cirsium palustre   marsh thistle

Cirsium vulgare   Scotch thistle

Conyza albida   broad-leaved fleabane

Cotula australis   soldier's button

Crepis capillaris   hawksbeard

Dittrichia graveolens  stinkwort

Erechtites valerianifolia   Brazilian fireweed

Erigeron karvinskianus   Mexican daisy

Euchiton involucratus   creeping cudweed

Galinsoga parviflora   galinsoga

Gamochaeta spicata   purple cudweed

Helminthotheca echioides   oxtongue

Hieracium aurantiacum   orange hawkweed

Hieracium pilosella   mouse-ear hawkweed

Hieracium praealtum   king devil

Hypochoeris radicata   catsear

Lactuca virosa   acrid lettuce

Lapsana communis   nipplewort

Leontodon taraxacoides   hawkbit

Leucanthemum vulgare   oxeye daisy

Matricaria dioscoidea   rayless chamomile

Mycelis muralis   wall lettuce

Onopordum acanthium   cotton thistle

Osteospermum fruticosum   dimorphotheca

Ozothamnus leptophyllus   tauhinu

Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum   Jersey cudweed

Senecio bipinnatisectus   Australian fireweed

Senecio jacobaea   ragwort

Senecio mikanioides   German ivy

Senecio skirrhodon   gravel groundsel

Senecio vulgaris   groundsel

Silybum marianum   variegated thistle

Soliva sessilis   Onehunga weed

Sonchus oleraceus   sow thistle

Tanacetum vulgare   tansy

Taraxacum officinale   dandelion

Tragopogon porrifolius   salsify

Xanthium spinosum   Bathurst bur

Basellaceae

Anredera cordifolia   Madeira vine

Berberidaceae - barberry

Berberis glaucocarpa   barberry

Betulaceae - birch

Alnus glutinosa   alder

Boraginaceae - forget-me-not

Amsinckia calycina   yellow gromwell

Borago officinalis   borage

Echium plantagineum   Paterson's curse

Echium vulgare   viper's bugloss

Myosotis arvensis   field forget-me-not

Symphytum x uplandicum   Russian comfrey

Brassicaceae - cabbage

Barbarea intermedia   winter cress

Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris   wild turnip

Cakile maritima   sea rocket

Capsella bursa-pastoris   shepherd's purse

Cardamine hirsuta   bitter cress

Cardaria draba   hoary cress

Coronopus didymus   twin cress

Coronopus squamatus   wart cress

Hirschfeldia incana   hoary mustard

Lepidium africanum   peppercress

Lobularia maritima   alyssum

Nasturtium officinale   watercress

Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. raphanistrum   wild radish

Rorippa sylvestris   creeping yellow cress

Sisymbrium officinale   hedge mustard

Buddlejaceae - buddleja

Buddleja davidii   buddleia

Callitrichaceae - starwort

Callitriche stagnalis   starwort

Caprifoliaceae - honeysuckle

Leycesteria formosa   Himalayan honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica   Japanese honeysuckle

Sambucus nigra   elder

Caryophyllaceae - pink

Arenaria serpyllifolia   sandwort

Cerastium fontanum   mouse-ear chickweed

Cerastium glomeratum   annual mouse-ear chickweed

Dianthus armeria   Deptford pink

Polycarpon tetraphyllum   allseed

Sagina procumbens   procumbent pearlwort

Silene gallica   catchfly

Silene vulgaris   bladder campion

Spergula arvensis   spurrey

Spergularia rubra   sand spurrey

Stellaria media   chickweed

Celastraceae - spindle tree

Euonymus europaeus   spindle tree

Ceratophyllaceae - hornwort

Ceratophyllum demersum   hornwort

Chenopodiaceae - fathen

Atriplex prostrata   orache

Chenopodium album   fathen

Chenopodium ambrosioides   Mexican tea

Chenopodium pumilio   clammy goosefoot

Clusiaceae - St. John's wort

Hypericum androsaemum   tutsan

Hypericum perforatum   St. John's wort

Cobaeaceae

Cobaea scandens   cathedral bells

Commelinaceae - commelina

Tradescantia fluminensis   wandering Jew

Convolvulaceae - bindweed

Calystegia sepium   pink bindweed

Calystegia silvatica   great bindweed

Convolvulus arvensis   field bindweed

Cuscuta epithymum   dodder

Dichondra repens   Mercury Bay weed

Ipomoea indica   blue morning glory

Coriariaceae - tutu

Coriaria species   tutu

Crassulaceae - stonecrop

Sedum acre   stonecrop

Davalliaceae

Nephrolepis cordifolia   tuber ladder fern

Dipsacaceae - teasel

Dipsacus sylvestris   wild teasel

Dryopteridaceae wood fern

Dryopteris filix-mas   male fern

Elaeagnaceae - elaeagnus

Elaeagnus x reflexa   elaeagnus

Equisetaceae - horsetail

Equisetum arvense   field horsetail

Ericaceae - heath

Calluna vulgaris   heather

Erica lusitanica   Spanish heath

Euphorbiaceae - spurge

Euphorbia lathyris   caper spurge

Euphorbia maculata   spotted spurge

Euphorbia peplus   milkweed

Ricinus communis   castor oil plant

Fabaceae - pea

Chamaecytisus palmensis   tree lucerne

Cytisus scoparius   broom

Galega officinalis   goat's rue

Lathyrus latifolius   everlasting pea

Lotus pedunculatus   lotus

Lotus suaveolens   hairy birdsfoot trefoil

Lupinus arboreus   tree lupin

Medicago lupulina   black medick

Medicago sativa   lucerne

Melilotus indicus   King Island melilot

Ornithopus perpusillus   wild serradella

Paraserianthes lophantha   brush wattle

Psoralea pinnata   dally pine

Racosperma mearnsii   black wattle

Trifolium arvense   haresfoot trefoil

Trifolium dubium   suckling clover

Trifolium pratense   red clover

Trifolium repens   white clover

Trifolium subterraneum   subterranean clover

Ulex europaeus   gorse

Vicia hirsuta   hairy vetch

Vicia sativa   vetch

Fumariaceae - fumitory

Fumaria muralis   scrambling fumitory

Gentianaceae - gentian

Centaurium erythraea   centaury

Geraniaceae - geranium

Erodium cicutarium   storksbill

Geranium dissectum   cut-leaved geranium

Geranium molle   dove's foot

Geranium robertianum   herb Robert

Grossulariaceae - currant

Ribes sanguineum   flowering currant

Haloragaceae

Haloragis erecta   shrubby haloragis

Myriophyllum aquaticum   parrot's feather

Hydrocharitaceae - frogbit

Egeria densa   egeria

Elodea canadensis   Canadian pondweed

Lagarosiphon major   lagarosiphon

Ottelia ovalifolia   swamp lily

Iridaceae - iris

Aristea ecklonii   aristea

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora   montbretia

Gladiolus undulatus   wild gladiolus

Iris foetidissima   stinking iris

Romulea rosea   onion grass

Sisyrinchium iridifolium   purple-eyed grass

Watsonia bulbillifera   watsonia

Lamiaceae - mint

Clinopodium vulgare   wild basil

Galeobdolon luteum   aluminium plant

Galeopsis tetrahit   hemp-nettle

Glechoma hederacea   ground ivy

Lamium amplexicaule   henbit

Lamium purpureum   red dead nettle

Marrubium vulgare   horehound

Melissa officinalis   lemon balm

Mentha x piperita   var. piperita   peppermint

Mentha pulegium   pennyroyal

Origanum vulgare   wild marjoram

Plectranthus ciliatus   plectranthus

Prunella vulgaris   selfheal

Salvia verbenaca   wild sage

Stachys arvensis   staggerweed

Stachys sylvatica   hedge woundwort

Thymus vulgaris   culinary thyme

Lemnaceae - duckweed

Lemna minor   duckweed

Linaceae - flax

Linum bienne   pale flax

Linum trigynum   yellow flax

Lythraceae - loosestrife

Lythrum hyssopifolia   hyssop loosestrife

Malvaceae - mallow

Hibiscus trionum   bladder hibiscus

Lavatera arborea   tree mallow

Malva parviflora   small-flowered mallow

Malva sylvestris   large-flowered mallow

Modiola caroliniana   creeping mallow

Sida rhombifolia   paddy lucerne

Melianthaceae - honey flower

Melianthus major   Cape honey flower

Myrtaceae - myrtle

Leptospermum scoparium   manuka

Nymphaeaceae - water lily

Nymphaea alba   water lily

Oleaceae - olive

Jasminum polyanthum   jasmine

Ligustrum lucidum   tree privet

Ligustrum sinense   Chinese privet

Onagraceae - willow-herb

Epilobium ciliatum   tall willow-herb

Epilobium nummulariifolium   creeping willow-herb

Ludwigia palustris   water purslane

Oenothera glazioviana   evening primrose

Orobanchaceae - broomrape

Orobanche minor   broomrape

Osmundaceae - royal fern

Osmundia regalis   royal fern

Oxalidaceae - oxalis

Oxalis articulata   sourgrass

Oxalis corniculata   horned oxalis

Oxalis latifolia   fishtail oxalis

Oxalis pes-caprae   Bermuda buttercup

Oxalis vallicola   pink shamrock

Papaveraceae - poppy

Argemone ochroleuca   Mexican poppy

Eschscholzia californica   Californian poppy

Papaver rhoeas   field poppy

Passifloraceae - passion fruit

Passiflora tripartita   banana passion-fruit

Phytolaccaceae - inkweed

Phytolacca octandra   inkweed

Pinaceae - pine

Pinus contorta   lodgepole pine

Plantaginaceae - plantain

Plantago coronopus   buck's horn plantain

Plantago lanceolata   narrow-leaved plantain

Plantago major   broad-leaved plantain

Polemoniaceae - phlox

Navarretia squarrosa   Californian stinkweed

Polygalaceae - milkwort

Polygala myrtifolia   sweet pea shrub

Polygonaceae - dock

Acetosa acetosella   sheep's sorrel

Acetosa sagittata   climbing dock

Emex australis   spiny emex

Fallopia convolvulus   cornbind

Muehlenbeckia australis   large-leaved muehlenbeckia

Persicaria hydropiper   water pepper

Persicaria persicaria   willow weed

Polygonum aviculare   wireweed

Reynoutria japonica   Asiatic knotweed

Rumex crispus   curled dock

Rumex obtusifolius   broad-leaved dock

Portulacaceae - purslane

Calandrinia menziesii   Curnow's curse

Montia fontana subsp. chondrosperma   dwarf montia

Portulaca oleracea   purslane

Potamogetonaceae - pondweed

Potamogeton crispus   curled pondweed

Primulaceae - primrose

Anagallis arvensis subsp. arvensis   scarlet pimpernel

Proteaceae - protea

Hakea salicifolia   willow-leaved hakea

Hakea sericea   needlebush

Pteridaceae - brake

Paesia scaberula   ring fern

Pteridium esculentum   bracken

Ranunculaceae - buttercup

Clematis vitalba   old man's beard

Ranunculus acris   giant buttercup

Ranunculus flammula   spearwort

Ranunculus repens   creeping buttercup

Ranunculus sardous   hairy buttercup

Ranunculus trichophyllus   water buttercup

Resedaceae - mignonette

Reseda luteola   wild mignonette

Rhamnaceae - buckthorn

Discaria toumatou   matagouri

Rhamnus alaternus   evergreen buckthorn

Rosaceae - rose

Acaena agnipila   Australian sheep's bur

Acaena novae-zelandiae   piripiri

Aphanes inexpectata   parsley piert

Cotoneaster species   cotoneaster

Crataegus monogyna   hawthorn

Duchesnea indica   Indian strawberry

Fragaria vesca   alpine strawberry

Potentilla recta   tall cinquefoil

Rosa rubiginosa   sweet briar

Rubus fruticosus   blackberry

Rubus phoenicolasius   Japanese wineberry

Sanguisorba minor   sheep's burnet

Rubiaceae - bedstraw

Galium aparine   cleavers

Galium divaricatum   slender bedstraw

Sherardia arvensis   field madder

Salicaceae - willow

Populus alba   silver poplar

Salix cinerea   grey willow

Salix fragilis   crack willow

Salviniaceae - water fern

Azolla rubra / Azolla filiculoides   azolla

Scrophulariaceae - snapdragon

Cymbalaria muralis   ivy-leaved toadflax

Digitalis purpurea   foxglove

Linaria purpurea   purple linaria

Mimulus guttatus   monkey musk

Parentucellia viscosa   tarweed

Verbascum thapsus   woolly mullein

Veronica anagallis-aquatica   water speedwell

Veronica persica   scrambling speedwell

Selaginellaceae - selaginella

Selaginella kraussiana   selaginella

Simaroubaceae - quassia

Ailanthus altissima   tree of heaven

Solanaceae - nightshade

Brugmansia candida   angel's trumpet

Cestrum aurantiacum   orange cestrum

Datura stramonium   thorn apple

Lycium ferocissimum   boxthorn

Nicandra physalodes   apple of Peru

Physalis peruviana   cape gooseberry

Salpichroa origanifolia   lily of the valley vine

Solanum aviculare   poroporo

Solanum dulcamara   bittersweet

Solanum linnaeanum   apple of Sodom

Solanum mauritianum   woolly nightshade

Solanum nigrum   black nightshade

Solanum pseudocapsicum   Jerusalem cherry

Tropaeolaceae - nasturtium

Tropaeolum majus   garden nasturtium

Urticaceae - nettle

Urtica urens   nettle

Valerianaceae - valerian

Centranthus ruber   spur valerian

Verbenaceae - vervain

Lantana camara   lantana

Verbena bonariensis   purple top

Verbena officinalis   vervain

Violaceae - violet

Viola arvensis   field pansy

Zingiberaceae - ginger

Hedychium gardnerianum   Kahili ginger

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Web-notes: Weed Links

On this site

Reproduced from Common Weeds of New Zealand:

• Some Useful Books
• Browse index of Common and Scientific Names
• Image Gallery of Weeds
  
  

External Links

Weedbusters New Zealand

Weedbusters is a weeds awareness and education programme that aims to protect New Zealand's environment from the increasing weed problem.

AgPest

A free tool to assist farmers and agricultural professionals in decision-making regarding weed and pest identification, biology, impact and management.

New Zealand Weeds Key

An interactive identification key to the weeds of New Zealand. Developed at Landcare Research.

New Zealand Plant Conservation Network naturalised plants

Search for information on more than 2500 naturalised and weedy plants.

New Zealand Plant Protection Society

Their main objective: "To pool and exchange information on the biology of weeds, invertebrate and vertebrate pests, pathogens and beneficial organisms and methods for modifying their effects."

 

Massey University Weeds Database

A site providing information about New Zealand weeds and weed control. It has a series of pages showing pictures of New Zealand weeds, notes on identification and control. It also provides information on a university paper entitled Controlling Weeds.

 

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