Invasiveness Assessment - Ivy-leafed sida (Sida leprosa) 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 Ivy-leafed sida.
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: Ivy-leafed sida
Scientific name: Sida leprosa
| Question | Comments | Reference | Rating |
| Establishment | |||
| Germination requirements? | “Seeds germinate in spring. New shoots emerge in… spring from buds on the extensive root system.” Requires natural seasonal disturbance (i.e. temperature). | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | MH |
| Establishment requirements? | In Australia S. leprosa is found on channel banks and irrigated annual pastures in arid and semi-arid warm-temperate regions. Requires open space and access to water to establish. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | ML |
| How much disturbance is required? | It occurs in established irrigated pastures where it, “…competes strongly with pasture species.” Little disturbance required. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | MH |
| Growth/Competitive | |||
| Life form? | Perennial herb. “Aerial growth dies in autumn and new shoots emerge in the following spring from buds on the extensive root system.” Geophyte. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | ML |
| Allelopathic properties? | None reported. |  | L |
| Tolerates herb pressure? | It is not readily eaten by grazing animals. Heavy herbivory pressure will extend weed infestation. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | MH |
| Normal growth rate? | A deep-rooted perennial that competes strongly with pasture species. “…growth is rapid until plants flower in summer.” Growth equal to competitive species of similar life form. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | MH |
| Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | Once established, this deeply rooted species may survive periods of drought and frost. Horizontal creeping roots grow at about 15 – 20 cm below the soil surface. In the U.S., it is known to occur in saline soils. | CDFA | MH |
| Reproduction | |||
| Reproductive system | Reproduces sexually and vegetatively. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | H |
| Number of propagules produced? | Amount of seed produced is not documented. Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) state that the plant produces abundant seeds. Assume > 1,000 seeds per plant. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | MH |
| Propagule longevity? | No data available. | | M |
| Reproductive period? | A perennial herb, the root system may persist for more than 2 years. In Australia, it is not known to occur in dense populations, although in California it occasionally forms large colonies in orchards, pastures and some agronomic crops. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) CDFA | MH |
| Time to reproductive maturity? | “Seedlings grow rapidly and flower in the first year.” Produce via propagules in less than one year. | CDFA | H |
| Dispersal | |||
| Number of mechanisms? | Root fragments produce new plants, so most spread is due to cultivation of infested land. Additionally, seed is spread by animals (in wool and hides) and agricultural produce. Water is also an effective means of seed dispersal. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | MH |
| How far do they disperse? | As most spread is due to cultivation, spread may be limited to less than one kilometre. | Parsons & Cuthbertson (2001) | ML |
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