Invasiveness Assessment - Viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare) 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 Viper's bugloss.
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 - 1 MB)
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Common Name: Viper’s bugloss
Scientific name: Echium vulgare
| Question | Comments | Reference | Rating |
| Establishment | |||
| Germination requirements? | “Plants in all stages of growth are found at virtually any time of the year”. | P & C (1992) | H |
| Establishment requirements? | Occurs in ‘dry sclerophyll forest and woodland’, where it would receive some shading. | Carr et al (1992) | MH |
| How much disturbance is required? | Establishes in minor disturbed natural ecosystems (e.g. grassland, grassy woodland, forest/woodland, as well as pastures and crops. | Carr et al (1992) P & C (1992) | MH |
| Growth/Competitive | |||
| Life form? | An erect, biennial sometimes perennial herb. Other. | P & C (1992) | L |
| Allelopathic properties? | None described. |  | L |
| Tolerates herb pressure? | Consumed, but not preferred – cattle and horses tend to avoid the plant. | P & C (1992) * | MH |
| Normal growth rate? | “High early growth rate allows (Paterson’ s Curse) to out compete other seedlings”. However, growth E. Vulgare assumed not to be > E. plantagineum. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | Tolerant of moisture stress, frost (occurs in Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland). Water Logging (occurs in riverbeds). Tanacs & Gulyas (1986) – Web et al (1988) | P & C (1992) Den Virtuella floran d/base | MH |
| Reproduction | |||
| Reproductive system | Reproducing by seed (self and cross pollination) | P & C (1992) Melser et al (1997) | ML |
| Number of propagules produced? | Prolific seeder > 30,000 seeds per sq. m. have been measured. Produces 500 to 2000 seeds per plant. | P & C (1992) Ministry of Agriculture & Food (1998) | MH |
| Propagule longevity? | A small number of seeds remain dormant in the soil for at least 5 years. | P & C (1992) | L |
| Reproductive period? | E. plantagineum produces dense monocultures, however unsure if E. vulgare does. | See Webb (1988) | H |
| Time to reproductive maturity? | Most seeds germinate in autumn and winter – flowering commences in early spring. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| Dispersal | |||
| Number of mechanisms? | Wool and fur of animals, animals (internal), run-off water, contaminant of hay and grain. | P & C (1992) | MH |
| How far do they disperse? | See Piggin (1982) p 10 & 11. Dispersal mechanisms described could transport many seeds > 200 metres. * See Klemow & Raynal (1985) | | MH |
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