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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. |
Question | Comments | Rating | Confidence |
Establishment | |||
Germination requirements? | “Late Autumn to winter” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). Natural seasonal disturbance. | MH | M |
Establishment requirements? | “Has become a naturalised weed in peppermint woodland…and has the ability to invade intact vegetation” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). This suggests that it can establish under moderate canopy cover. | MH | M |
How much disturbance is required? | “Often found in disturbed areas” (van der Walt, 1977), but has the ability to invade intact vegetation (CRC Weed Management, 2003). Establishes in relatively intact vegetation. | MH | M |
Growth/Competitive | |||
Life form? | “Low, sprawling plant…[with] an underground tuber up to 6 m in length” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). Geophyte. | ML | MH |
Allelopathic properties? | No information found. | M | L |
Tolerates herb pressure? | No information found. | M | L |
Normal growth rate? | No information found. | M | L |
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | “Can grow in…drought prone areas” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). No further information found. One study recorded garden geranium in more than 2/3 of unburnt treatment plots, but not recorded in burnt plots (Uys, Bond & Everson, 2004). | M | L |
Reproduction | |||
Reproductive system | “Tuber (rhizome) or seed” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). | H | MH |
Number of propagules produced? | “Prolific seed producer” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). Inflorescence may have up to 15 flowers (van der Walt, 1977) No further information found. | M | L |
Propagule longevity? | “It is possible for seeds to remain viable in the soil for a long period of time” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). No further information found. | M | L |
Reproductive period? | “A single plant will die out after a few years” (CRC Weed Management, 2003). | MH | M |
Time to reproductive maturity? | “Flowering…follows the regrowth period” (CRC Weed Management, 2003) suggesting that garden geranium flowers in its second year. | MH | M |
Dispersal | |||
Number of mechanisms? | Seeds appear suited to wind dispersal (photo in CRC Weed Management, 2003). | MH | M |
How far do they disperse? | No information found. | M | L |