Botanical name: Soliva sessilis
Common Names
Bindi-eye, Bindii, Jo-jo, Onehunga, Lawn Burrweed
Bindii Description
A small, short-lived (i.e. annual), herbaceous plant that develops a rosette of leaves at first, followed by a number of creeping (i.e. prostrate) stems up to 8 cm long. Shoots are produced from the these stems which develop into rosettes and so on, with plants eventually forming a low ground cover.
Bindii weed, onehunga (pronounced oh-nee-hunga after a New Zealand Maori place name) and jo-jo are alternative names for a troublesome lawn weed (Soliva pterosperma) which is now widespread in the Perth metropolitan area.
This winter-growing annual, originally from South America, produces a seed capsule protected by spines. The seed prickle is very sharp and makes it impossible to walk on a badly infested lawn in bare feet. A closely related species, (Solvia sessilis) has also been found in Perth. Plants first emerge with the winter rains in May and continue to germinate for several months. Flowers begin to appear in spring and continue to form at the base of the leaves (axils) until early December.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Bindii is often confused with carrot weed (Cotula australis), a native plant which at first glance seems similar. However, carrot weed begins to produce flowers during the early part of winter, with pale yellow flowers on the ends of stalks. Bindii flowers much later and has no flower stalks.
SCENARIOS AND SOLUTIONS:
- In garden beds: spot spray with any recommended products below or Apparent Glyphosate Green (note that some plant species may be affected).
- In buffalo lawns: use Apparent Bromoxynil + MCPA.
- In kikuyu and couch lawns: use Bow & Arrow Herbicide, Spearhead Selective Herbicide.
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