Galenia pubescens

Galenia pubescens
Galenia pubescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Aizoaceae
Genus: Galenia
Species: G. pubescens
(Eckl. & Zeyh.) Druce
Binomial name
Galenia pubescens

Galenia pubescens (Galenia or Coastal Galenia) is a low-growing perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae.[1][2] It is native to southern Africa and naturalised elsewhere.[1]

Description

The species is prostrate or decumbent with ovate to spathulate leaves which are covered with hairs when young.[1] The flowers are white with a slight pink tinge and yellow with age.[1] These are followed by capsules which contain shiny, black seeds to 1 mm in length.[1]

Naturalisation

In Australia the species is naturalised in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.[3] In New South Wales, the species is regarded as a noxious weed in the Liverpool Plains and Tamworth regions under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993.[1]

The species is a scourge of beekeeping - it produces nectar profusely and bees like it, but the nectar makes honey to taste so bad as to it make it inedible for humans.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Galenia pubescens". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Galenia~pubescens. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
  2. ^ "Galenia pubescens". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/2801. 
  3. ^ "Galenia pubscens". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?TAXON_NAME=GALENIA+PUBESCENS. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 


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