Invasiveness Assessment - Paterson's curse (Pechium plantagineum) 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 Paterson's curse.

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: Paterson’s curse
Scientific name: Pechium plantagineum

Question	Comments	Reference	Rating
Establishment
Germination requirements?	Can germinate at any time, however most seed germinates after the first and subsequent rains of autumn and winter.	P & C (1992)	H
Establishment requirements?	Est. Open Areas	P & C (1992) Groves et al (1995)	ML
How much disturbance is required?	Est. crops, mainly pasture. * also a ‘serious’ weed of Mallee shrub land, low and grassland & grassy woodland, dry sclerophyll forest & woodland & riparian veg. (Carr et al 1992).	P & C (1992) Groves et al (1995)	MH
Growth/Competitive
Life form?	Annual/biennial herb	P & C (1992)	L
Allelopathic properties?	None described		L
Tolerates herb pressure?	Consumed by sheep but not preferred : avoided by cattle and horses	P & C (1992)	MH
Normal growth rate?	“Competes strongly with more valuable pasture species”. “Has been shown to compete with & reduce product growth from T. subterraneum”. * “It’s high early growth rate allows Paterson’s Curse to out compete other seedlings” P & C 1992 p. 329)	Groves et al (1995)	H
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	Tolerates moisture stress and frost (see distribution map).	P & C (1992)	MH - Assumption
Reproduction
Reproductive system	Reproducing by seed – cross & self pollination.	P & C (1992) Groves et al (1995)	ML
Number of propagules produced?	Individual plants can produce up to 10,000 seeds.	Groves et al (1995)	H
Propagule longevity?	Small amount of seed remains dormant in the soil for at least 5 years.	P & C (1992)	L
Reproductive period?	Forms dense monocultures (See picture P & C 1992 p. 327).	P & C (1992)	H
Time to reproductive maturity?	Annual/biennial.	P & C (1992)	H
Dispersal
Number of mechanisms?	Water, animals (internal & external), contaminant of hay or grain.	P & C (1992) Groves et al (1995)	H
How far do they disperse?	“Birds eat seed of E. plantagineum and may spread it over large distances”. “Movement of seed in water is important, particularly in hilly country where run off water carries them to lower areas”. “The most important means of spread, however, has been as a contaminant of hay or grain”.	P & C (1992)	H

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