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Invasiveness Assessment - Cape broom / montpellier broom (Genista monspessulana) 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 Cape broom.

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)
To view the information PDF requires the use of a PDF reader. This can be installed for free from the Adobe website (external link).

Common Name: Cape broom
Scientific name: Genista monspessulana

Question
Comments
Reference
Rating
Establishment
Germination requirements?Seeds germinate in both autumn and spring.
P & C (1992)
MH
Establishment requirements?Establishes as an understorey shrub in woodland and forest areas where it would receive shading from overstorey Eucalypts.
Carr et al (1992)
MH
How much disturbance is required?Establishes in minor disturbed natural ecosystems and healthy natural ecosystems e.g. heathland. National Parks (e.g. Dandenong Ranges National Park).
Carr et al (1992)
Gillespie (1991)
H
Growth/Competitive
Life form?Erect, evergreen, leguminous shrub.
P & C (1992)
MH
Allelopathic properties?None described.
L
Tolerates herb pressure?Mature plants are unpalatable”.
Dept. of Primary Industry (Tas,) (1990)
MH
Normal growth rate?Forms dense thickets, which exclude most other vegetation.

May completely smother surrounding vegetation.
P & C (1992)
DPI (Tas,) (1990)
H
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?Tolerant of drought, fire, frost (occurs in alpine areas).
P & C (1992)
DPI (Tas.) (1990)
Carr et al (1992)
MH
Reproduction
Reproductive systemReproducing by seed.
P & C (1992)
ML
Number of propagules produced?“Prolific seed producer”. > 2,000 flowers per bush (see pic. P & C 1992) therefore > 2,000 seeds per plant.
P & C (1992)
H
Propagule longevity?“Seed is long lived within the soil”. (IFFA 1989).
20-30 years.
IFFA (1989)
McDougall (1994)
MH
Reproductive period?Forms dense thickets. (See pic. P & C 1992 p. 479).
P & C (1992)
H
Time to reproductive maturity?Produce first flowers when about two years old.
P & C (1992)
MH
Dispersal
Number of mechanisms?Pods bursting and ejecting seeds. Also seed movement by vehicles, equipment, agricultural products, mud, etc. Perhaps birds? And animals.
P & C (1992)
DPI (Tas.) 1992)
MH
How far do they disperse?Most seeds likely ejected from seed pods on hot summer days, with seeds only being flung 2 m from the parent plant.
DPI (Tas.) (1992)
M


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