Robust Willow-Herb

Robust Willow-Herb photos

Family: Willow-herb (Onagraceae)

Scientific Name:

Epilobium billardierianum

Robust Willow-herb plants
Photo: A J Brown

Status:

Native to all Australian states except the Northern Territory.

Plant Description:

An erect, stoloniferous, perennial herb to about 100 cm tall, the stems often becoming woody at the base. Stems are covered in soft, short (pubescent), finely curled (crisped) hairs but often with erect hairs in the flowering region. Leaves are variable, hairless or with coarse, stiff hairs, from linear to ovate in shape, 0.5-4 cm long, 1-18 mm wide and margins variously toothed from 8-40 per side.

Flowers inserted at the summit of a long tubular floral torus (hypanthium). Petals 4-5, to 13 mm long, white to purplish-pink. Fruit a pubescent, cylindrical capsule, 3-7.5 cm long, and opening into 4-values from the summit downwards. Seeds 1 mm long, each with a tuft of long hairs.

Habitat:

Widespread in damp situations such as swamps, drying lake beds, stream edges, depressions and roadside drains. Appears to tolerate slight to moderate salinity conditions provided moisture is adequate.

Region	Salinity Class	Waterlogging Class
Central and Northern, Wimmera, Western, Gippsland	S0, S1, S2	W2, W3

Comments:

There are currently 11 listed species of Willow-herbs in Victoria, including two introduced species. Other wide-spread species in damp, low-land situations include Hairy Willow-herb (Epilobium hirtigerum) and Showy Willow-herb (E. pallidiflorum). Hairy Willow-herb has stems and leaves covered with soft spreading hairs and a resultant greyish appearance. The stems of Showy Willow-herb are softly pubescent below but hairless in the flowering region and the leaves are almost hairless. There are four recognised subspecies of Robust Willow-herb, separated largely by the shape of their leaves, their hairiness and their number of marginal teeth. One subspecies is similar to Showy Willow-herb but differs in having broader leaves and erect, rather than drooping, flower-heads.

Robust Willow-herb Photos

Robust Willow-herb regrowth from last year's plant Photo: A J Brown	Leaves of Robust Willow-herb Photo: A J Brown
Flowers of Robust Willow-herb Photo: A J Brown	Robust Willow-herb fruiting Photo: A J Brown
Flower-head of Robust Willow-herb Photo: A J Brown	Seeds of Robust Willow-herb Photo: A J Brown

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