Invasiveness Assessment - Buffalo Burr (Solanum rostratum) in Victoria (Nox)
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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.
| Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here. |
The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Buffalo burr.
A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1026 KB)
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Common Name: Buffalo burr
Scientific name: Solanum rostratum
| Question | Comments | Reference | Rating |
| Establishment | |||
| Germination requirements? | Seeds germinate in autumn. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Establishment requirements? | Establishes in mostly ‘open’ situations e.g. pasture, fields. | Muenscher (1980) | ML |
| How much disturbance is required? | Establishes in vigorously growing crops (e.g. cotton) and pastures. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Growth/Competitive | |||
| Life form? | Annual herb. Other. | P & C (1992) | L |
| Allelopathic properties? | Minor allelopathic effects on itself and tomato plants have been shown. | Rice (1984) | ML |
| Tolerates herb pressure? | The plant’s prickly nature deters grazing animals. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Normal growth rate? | “Is a strong competitor in cotton crops in parts of the United States”. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | Tolerance to water logging (occurs on shores), drought (occurs in arid areas). | P & C (1992) Hoffman & Stanley (1978) | ML |
| Reproduction | |||
| Reproductive system | Reproducing by seed. Has capacity for both self and cross pollination. | P & C (1992) Bowers (1975) | ML |
| Number of propagules produced? | Established based on pictures and descriptions. 20 berries per plant x 85 seeds per berry = 1,700 seeds per plant. | P & C (1992) Bassett & Munro (1986) | MH |
| Propagule longevity? | ? |  | M |
| Reproductive period? | Annual. | P & C (1992) | L |
| Time to reproductive maturity? | Annual < one year. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Dispersal | |||
| Number of mechanisms? | Containment of cereal grain: burr also sticks to wool and bags, and can float on water. Can also be blown about. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| How far do they disperse? | Above mechanisms would transport burrs between at least 20-200 m or even > 200 m. burr also stated to float ‘some’ distance on water. | P & C (1992) | ML |
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