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Common Cotula

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Common Cotula photos

Scientific Name:Cotula australis

Status:

Native of Australia and New Zealand.
Common Cotula plants
Common Cotula plants
Photo: A J Brown


Other Common Names:

Australian Water Buttons, Southern Water Buttons, Bachelor's Buttons, Carrot Weed
Plant Description:Small prostrate to ascending annual plant, to 10 cm high and sometimes rooting at the nodes of its stems. Stems and leaves have scattered long hairs. Leaves are obovate (oval-shaped) to oblanceolate (backward pointing spear-shaped), 1 – 2 cm long, partly stem clasping, and divided into many linear and lobed segments.

The hemispherical flower-heads are pale-yellow to cream, 4-5 mm diameter, on slender stalks, which are longer than the leaves. Fruit (achenes) are 1-1.5 mm long and flattened; the outer with a grandular surface and narrow thickened wings, the inner smooth and wingless. Flowers winter to late spring.

Habitat:

Grows in moist, open grassy situations, roadsides, lawns, wall crevices and grassy forests.


RegionSalinity ClassWaterlogging Class
Mallee, Loddon Murray, Central and Northern, Wimmera, Western, Gippsland S0W1, W2

Comments:Common Cotula is similar to Water Buttons (Cotula coronopifolia) and Ferny Cotula (Cotula bipinnata) (see Key to Cotulas).

Common Cotula photos

Common Cotula flower-head
Common Cotula flower-head
Photo: A J Brown
Common Cotula leaf
Common Cotula leaf
Photo: A J Brown
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