Musk weed (Myagrum perfoliatum)

Present distribution

Scientific name:	Myagrum perfoliatum L.
Common name(s):	musk weed

Map showing the present distribution of this weed.

Habitat:

“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” “grows well on both light and heavy soils” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” Infesting large areas of the Wimmera (Walsh and Entwistle 1996). It has been recorded in the Murray-Mallee and Riverina regions of Victoria. In New South Wales, it is a weed of cultivated cracking clay soils. It favours temperate climates. (Weeds In Australia undated). Native to the Mediterranean area and western Asia (Richardson et al. 2006).

Potential distribution

Potential distribution produced from CLIMATE modelling refined by applying suitable landuse and vegetation type overlays with CMA boundaries

Map Overlays Used

Land Use:
Broadacre cropping;; horticulture perennial; horticulture seasonal; pasture dryland

Ecological Vegetation Divisions
heathland; grassy/heathy dry forest; lowland forest; foothills forest; forby forest; damp forest; riparian; wet forest; granitic hillslopes; rocky outcrop shrubland; western plains woodland; basalt grassland; alluvial plains grassland; semi-arid woodland; alluvial plains woodland; ironbark/box; riverine woodland/forest;; chenopod shrubland; chenopod mallee; hummock-grass mallee; lowan mallee; broombush whipstick

Colours indicate possibility of Myagrum perfoliatum infesting these areas.

In the non-coloured areas the plant is unlikely to establish as the climate, soil or landuse is not presently suitable.

Red= Very high	Orange = Medium
Yellow = High	Green = Likely

Impact

QUESTION	COMMENTS	RATING	CONFIDENCE
Social
1. Restrict human access?	Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Low nuisance value. Impedes individual access.	ML	MH
2. Reduce tourism?	Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). No evidence of injurious characteristics. - Minor effect to aesthetics and/or recreational uses (i.e. aware of but not bothered. Or activity inhibited).	MH	MH
3. Injurious to people?	“There is no evidence of toxicity problems” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). No evidence of injurious characteristics. - None.	L	MH
4. Damage to cultural sites?	Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). Potential moderate visual effect.	ML	MH
Abiotic
5. Impact flow?	“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops, reducing yield, clogging machinery and contaminating seed. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” (Weeds In Australia undated). This species is not an aquatic weed, therefore no impact on water flow. - Negligible affect on water flow.	L	MH
6. Impact water quality?	“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops, reducing yield, clogging machinery and contaminating seed. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” (Weeds In Australia undated). This species is not an aquatic weed, therefore no impact on water quality. - No noticeable effects on dissolved O2 or light levels.	L	MH
7. Increase soil erosion?	“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “When densely established, muskweed competes with cereal crops…” (Parsons 1973). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops, reducing yield, clogging machinery and contaminating seed. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” (Weeds In Australia undated). - Moderate probability of large scale soil movement.	ML	MH
8. Reduce biomass?	Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “When densely established, muskweed competes with cereal crops…” (Parsons 1973). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops, reducing yield, clogging machinery and contaminating seed. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” (Weeds n Australia undated). Impacts on biomass are unknown.	M	L
9. Change fire regime?	“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” (Weeds in Australia undated). Impacts on fire regime are unknown.	M	L
Community Habitat
10. Impact on composition (a) high value EVC	EVC = Semi-arid woodland (V); CMA = Mallee; Bioregion = Murray Mallee; VH CLIMATE potential. Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Minor displacement of some dominant indicator species, within any one layer/strata (e.g. ground cover).	ML	H
(b) medium value EVC	EVC = Box Ironbark Forest (D); CMA = North Central ; Bioregion = Gold Fields; VH CLIMATE potential. Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Minor displacement of some dominant indicator species, within any one layer/strata (e.g. ground cover).	ML	H
(c) low value EVC	EVC = Granitic Hills Woodland (LC); CMA = North East; Bioregion = Northern Inland Slopes; VH CLIMATE potential. Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Minor displacement of some dominant indicator species, within any one layer/strata (e.g. ground cover).	ML	H
11. Impact on structure?	“When densely established, muskweed competes with cereal crops…” (Parsons 1973). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Minor effect on <20% of the floral strata/layers present; usually only affecting one of the strata.	L	MH
12. Effect on threatened flora?	“When densely established, muskweed competes with cereal crops…” (Parsons 1973). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). Impacts on bioregional priority or VROT species are unknown.	MH	L
Fauna
13. Effect on threatened fauna?	“[Cultivation efforts] can be combined with heavy grazing” (Parsons 1973). Myagrum perfoliatum is highly palatable [to goats]. (MLA 2007). Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). Impacts on threatened fauna are unknown.	MH	L
14. Effect on non-threatened fauna?	“[Cultivation efforts] can be combined with heavy grazing” (Parsons 1973). Myagrum perfoliatum is highly palatable [to goats]. (MLA 2007). Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). - Minor effects on fauna species. Minor reduction in habitat/shelter.	ML	MH
15. Benefits fauna?	“[Cultivation efforts] can be combined with heavy grazing” (Parsons 1973). Myagrum perfoliatum is highly palatable [to goats]. (MLA 2007). Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Provides some assistance in either food or shelter to desirable species.	MH	MH
16. Injurious to fauna?	“There is no evidence of toxicity problems” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). No evidence of injurious characteristics. - No effect.	L	MH
Pest Animal
17. Food source to pests?	“[Cultivation efforts] can be combined with heavy grazing” (Parsons 1973). Myagrum perfoliatum is highly palatable [to goats]. (MLA 2007). Myagrum perfoliatum is highly palatable and may provide food to other pests in addition to goats - Supplies food for >1 major pest species at crucial times of year (e.g. heavy berry load or continual food throughout the year).	H	MH
18. Provides harbor?	Grows up to one metre tall (Storrie and Cook undated; Walsh and Entwistle 1996). “…Much branched spreading growth…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). Size of this plant could provide some shelter for pest species. - Doesn’t provide harbour for major pest species, may provide harbour for minor pest species.	ML	MH
Agriculture
19. Impact yield?	“Muskweed poses a serious threat to our most productive agricultural lands. Muskweed can compete strongly with crops, thereby reducing yields by up to 50%” (Storrie and Cook undated). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops, reducing yield, clogging machinery and contaminating seed. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops, with yield losses of up to 50% being reported” (Weeds In Australia undated). - Serious impacts on quantity (e.g. >20% reduction). Unviable to harvest crop/stock.	H	M
20. Impact quality?	“…It is also a contaminant of seed and hay and creates blockages during harvest.” (Storrie and Cook undated). “When densely established, muskweed competes with cereal crops…” (Parsons 1973). “The fruit is similar in size to a wheat grain and not always separated in cleaning operations” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). Muskweed can compete strongly with crops, thereby reducing yields by up to 50%” (Storrie and Cook undated). - Serious impacts to quality (e.g. >20% reduction).	H	MH
21. Affect land value?	“When densely established, muskweed competes with cereal crops…” (Parsons 1973). “Muskweed poses a serious threat to our most productive agricultural lands. Muskweed can compete strongly with crops, thereby reducing yields by up to 50%” (Storrie and Cook undated). - Decreases land value <10%.	MH	M
22. Change land use?	Not enough information.	M	L
23. Increase harvest costs?	“…It is also a contaminant of seed and hay and creates blockages during harvest.” “It is tolerant of a wide range of commonly used herbicides” (Storrie and Cook undated). “Cultivation is an effective method of control if carried out before flowering, but it must be persisted with for several years to be effective because of the dormancy of the seeds” (Parsons 1973). “The fruit is similar in size to a wheat grain and not always separated in cleaning operations” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Major increase in time or labour, or machinery in harvesting.	H	MH
24. Disease host/vector?	“It is host to Plasmodiophora brassicae (clubroot) a persistent and devastating disease of cruciferous crops” (Weeds In Australia). “Plasmodiophora brassicae causes clubroot in crucifers; it can be found worldwide in all temperate zones. It infects over 300 species in 64 genera of crucifers” (Botanic Gardens Trust undated). - Host to a major and sever disease or pest of important agricultural produce.	H	M

Invasive

QUESTION	COMMENTS	RATING	CONFIDENCE
Establishment
1. Germination requirements?	“Muskweed has a staggered germination from April-October” (Storrie and Cook undated). “Seeds of muskweed germinate in autumn and early winter” (Weeds In Australia undated). “Germination and establishment seem to be favoured by wet years followed by an early autumn break” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Requires natural seasonal disturbances such as seasonal rainfall and temperatures for germination.	MH	MH
2. Establishment requirements?	“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites”, “Germination and establishment seem to be favoured by wet years followed by an early autumn break” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). -Requires more specific requirements to establish (e.g. open space, access to light and direct rainfall).	ML	MH
3. How much disturbance is required?	“Temperate regions particularly on dry exposed sites” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “Muskweed is a troublesome weed in crops, reducing yield, clogging machinery and contaminating seed. It is a major weed of chickpeas, lentils lupins, faba beans and canola in western Victoria and South Australia. It is also a weed of winter cereals and lucerne, and is particularly problematic in pulse crops” (Weeds In Australia undated). - Ability to establish in vigorously growing crops or well established pastures.	MH	MH
Growth/Competitive
4. Life form?	Erect annual herb (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992).	L	MH
5. Allelopathic properties?	No evidence of allelopathy in this species (Rice 1984). - None	L	M
6. Tolerates herb pressure?	“[Cultivation efforts] can be combined with heavy grazing” (Parsons 1973). Myagrum perfoliatum is highly palatable [to goats]. (MLA 2007). - Consumed but not preferred.	MH	MH
7. Normal growth rate?	Unknown.	M	L
8. Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	“The plant dies in summer” (Weeds In Australia undated). Infesting large areas of the Wimmera (Walsh and Entwistle 1996). It has also been recorded in the Murray-Mallee and Riverina regions of Victoria (Weeds In Australia undated). It tolerates dry, exposed sites (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). In New South Wales, it is a weed of cultivated cracking clay soils. Indications of drought tolerance; other tolerances unknown. - May be tolerant of one stress (drought), susceptible to at least two.	L	M
Reproduction
9. Reproductive system	“Reproduction is by seeds…” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992; Parsons 1973). - Sexual.	L	H
10. Number of propagules produced?	“Each fruit contains one, rarely two seeds” “Plants produce copious amounts of seeds” (Weeds In Australia undated; Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). “Heavily infested paddocks can have up to 3000 seeds per square metre” (Storrie and Cook undated) - Above 2000.	H	MH
11. Propagule longevity?	“Soil seed bank is thought to last for up to 10 years” (Storrie and Cook undated; Weeds In Australia undated). “It’s persistence in cereal areas is enhanced because many seeds, which may remain dormant for 2 to 3 years are shed before harvest” (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992). - Greater than 25% of seeds survive five years.	L	MH
12. Reproductive period?	Annual (Lazarides et al. 1997; Storrie and Cook undated). - Mature plant produces viable propagules for only one year.	L	M
13. Time to reproductive maturity?	“Seeds germinate in autumn and winter…in early spring a stem is produced which bears flowers and seeds by late spring” (Parsons 1973). - Reaches maturity and produces viable propagules in under a year.	H	MH
Dispersal
14. Number of mechanisms?	“Seeds are usually spread in contaminated agricultural produce, particularly cereal grain…Plants, when mature can break at the base and tumble across paddocks releasing seed as they travel (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992; Weeds in Australia undated). - Propagules are spread by attachment (to machinery), wind and by accidental human dispersal through contaminated agricultural machinery.	MH	MH
15. How far do they disperse?	“Seeds are usually spread in contaminated agricultural produce, particularly cereal grain…Plants, when mature can break at the base and tumble across paddocks releasing seed as they travel (Parsons and Cuthbertson 1992; Weeds In Australia undated). - Very likely that at least some propagules will disperse greater than one kilometre.	H	MH

References

Botanic Gardens Trust (undated) Club root of crucifers – Plasmodiophora brassicae. Available at http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/science/current_research/Soilborne_plant_diseases/Vietnam_template3/Plasmodiophora_ (verified 30 April 2009).

Grabowski M (undated) Plasmodiophora brassicae. Available at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/pp728/Plasmodiophora/Plasmodiophora.html (verified 30 April 2009).

Lazarides M, Cowley K, Hohnen P (1997) CSIRO Handbook of Australian Weeds. CSIRO Publishing Canberra.

MLA (2007) Weed Control using Goats. Published by Meat and Livestock Australia Limited. Available online at http://www.mla.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/AE169A4C-60E2-4DC2-A454-4C5B648C727E/0/LPI010WeedcontrolusinggoatsMay2007.pdf (verified 21 April 2009).

Parsons WT and Cuthbertson EG. (2001) Noxious Weeds of Australia. 2nd Ed. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

Parsons WT (1973) Noxious Weeds of Victoria. Inkata Press

Rice EL. (1984) Allelopathy. Academic Press, Inc. Orlando.

Richardson FJ, Richardson RG and Shepherd RCH. (2006) Weeds of the South-east. An Identification Guide for Australia. RG & FJ Richardson. Meredith

Storrie A and Cook T (undated) NSW Agriculture Weed Alert, PDF available at http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/156641/muskweed-alert.pdf (verified 30 April 2009)

Walsh N and Entwisle T. (Eds.) (1996) Flora of Victoria: Volume 3. Dicotyledon;s Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, Inkata Press, Melbourne

Weeds In Australia (undated) Weed Search, available at http://www.weeds.gov.au/cgi-bin/weeddetails.pl?taxon_id=18982 (verified 21 April 2009).

Global present distribution data references

Australian National Herbarium (ANH) (2008) Australia’s Virtual Herbarium, Australian National Herbarium, Centre for Plant Diversity and Research, Available at
http://www.anbg.gov.au/avh/ (verified 30 April 2009).

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) (2006) Flora information system [CD-ROM], Biodiversity and Natural Resources Section, Viridans Pty Ltd, Bentleigh.

EIS: Environmental Information System (2006) Parks Victoria.

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2009) Global biodiversity information facility, Available at http://www.gbif.org/ (verified 21 April 2009).

IPMS: Integrated Pest Management System (2006) Department of Primary Industries.

Missouri Botanical Gardens (MBG) (200X) w³TROPICOS, Missouri Botanical Gardens Database, Available at http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/vast.html (viewed 30 April 2009).

National Biodiversity Network (2008) NBN Gateway, National Biodiversity Network, UK, Available at http://www.searchnbn.net/index_homepage/index.jsp (verified 21 April 2009).

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