Low Amaranth, Spreading Amaranth at Mount Majura
Identification history
| Amaranthus deflexus | 28 Mar 2024 | Tapirlord | ||
| Amaranthus sp. | 12 Mar 2024 | Tapirlord | ||
| Amaranthus sp. | 11 Mar 2024 | abread111 | ||
| Unidentified | 11 Mar 2024 | abread111 |
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Significant sighting
abread111 noted:
25 Mar 2024
A weedy Amaranthus species not previously recognised on Canberra Nature Map
User's notes
one patch in a weedy area, one very large widespreading plant and two smaller ones. The small ones were dug out to take to the Herbarium. They had pinkish taproots.
12 comments
waltraud
wrote:
11 Mar 2024
The leaves are not chenopodiumesque... Amaranth is a better candidate; Amaranthus retroflexus?
abread111
wrote:
11 Mar 2024
Don't think so, reads as a much bigger plant. But Tapirlord and JaneR both have sightings which look similar to this one and they are identified as A. retroflexus. I'll have to go and collect a sample.
Barb
Barb
abread111
wrote:
25 Mar 2024
Yes but it would look better as Amaranthus deflexus, so can you add that species to the list please.
"Thank you for your request for plant identification. Your specimen has been identified as Amaranthus deflexus"
by Helen Kennedy from the Herbarium.
Found by Harriette Wilson while weeding at a Friends of Mt Majura Monday working party two weeks ago.
"Thank you for your request for plant identification. Your specimen has been identified as Amaranthus deflexus"
by Helen Kennedy from the Herbarium.
Found by Harriette Wilson while weeding at a Friends of Mt Majura Monday working party two weeks ago.
waltraud
wrote:
26 Mar 2024
I assume this annual is spread by birds, but what was the source? are the seeds used as bird food?
Amaranth is a major weed in the Australian vegetable production https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/378188/une-weeds-amaranth.pdf. Seems that hand weeding and providing competitive (native) ground-cover are the best options to manage the fast spreading weed (see integrated management section in above article); the only herbicide listed for management in the herbicide section of above article and that we can use is Fluroxypyr. Monitoring is most important in those weedy high nutrient / high moisture sites under the Exocarpos trees of Mt Majura's low slopes where nutrients accumulate.
Amaranth is a major weed in the Australian vegetable production https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/378188/une-weeds-amaranth.pdf. Seems that hand weeding and providing competitive (native) ground-cover are the best options to manage the fast spreading weed (see integrated management section in above article); the only herbicide listed for management in the herbicide section of above article and that we can use is Fluroxypyr. Monitoring is most important in those weedy high nutrient / high moisture sites under the Exocarpos trees of Mt Majura's low slopes where nutrients accumulate.
abread111
wrote:
26 Mar 2024
"Methods of amaranth spread include water..., birds and livestock, .... Amaranth seeds are relatively light in weight and are capable of wind transport, but seeds largely fall within 2 m of the parent plant." Abbreviated version of what it says in the veg production document in previous comment.
In the case of this particular small patch of weed, it was already seeding when discovered and still is, as the largest plant has not been removed. (Because there was a chance it was a native Amaranthus.)
This species is strictly a weed - it was not under the Exocarpus, but not far away, in a weedy high nutrient area, seed could have been in the soil for a long time. Plant habit is not conducive to use as a crop for bird seed or anything else. The seeds are very small.
I agree competitive native ground cover is the best solution for these weedy areas.
In the case of this particular small patch of weed, it was already seeding when discovered and still is, as the largest plant has not been removed. (Because there was a chance it was a native Amaranthus.)
This species is strictly a weed - it was not under the Exocarpus, but not far away, in a weedy high nutrient area, seed could have been in the soil for a long time. Plant habit is not conducive to use as a crop for bird seed or anything else. The seeds are very small.
I agree competitive native ground cover is the best solution for these weedy areas.
abread111
wrote:
31 Mar 2024
Thanks Tapirlord. But the new system of official confirmation was not used.
Could you please change the common name to Spreading Amaranth to agree with ACT Census?
Also you might like to consider whether Amaranthus retroflexus (Redroot Amaranth) is A. deflexus as it appears to be spreading rather than erect.
Could you please change the common name to Spreading Amaranth to agree with ACT Census?
Also you might like to consider whether Amaranthus retroflexus (Redroot Amaranth) is A. deflexus as it appears to be spreading rather than erect.
Tapirlord
wrote:
22 Apr 2024
Hey Barb, If you would like, I'm happy to put 'Spreading Amaranth' alongside the existing common name, but I don't see that it is appropriate to replace one for the other. We don't follow the ACT plant census as a paramount authority with respect to our taxonomic framework. I'll have a look at the sighting you mention.
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Nearby sightings
Location information
- Coordinates 149.167345-35.228892
- Altitude 638.0m
- Maps Mount Majura
- Places Watson, ACT
Sighting information
- 4 - 15 Abundance
- 11 Mar 2024 11:51 AM Recorded on
- abread111 Recorded by
Additional information
- 10cm to 30cm Plant height
- True In flower
Species information
- Amaranthus deflexus Scientific name
- Low Amaranth, Spreading Amaranth Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Exotic
- Minor Weed or Pest
- 635m to 638m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
-
In flower
- External link More information
Record quality
- Overall Fit for scientific/research use
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Confirmed by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes
