Weeds of national significance in Australia
In 1998, the Australian governments (national, state and territory governments) endorsed a system to identify which weed species could be considered as Weeds of National Significance (WONS) within an agricultural, forestry and environmental context. Twenty weed species were identified, using the following 4 major criteria:
- invasiveness
- impacts
- potential for spread
- socio-economic and environmental values.
The Australian governments then endorsed a final list in 1999. This was the first attempt to prioritize weeds over a range of different land uses at a national level. It was not a purely scientific process, but an attempt to draw together meaningful indicators on which to base future weed decision-making. For each WON, a strategic plan outlining control actions and responsible bodies has been prepared. A management coordinator and a National Management/Steering Committee have been designated to oversee the implementation of the strategic plans and decide upon priorities.
WONS are listed in the table below, with their family, origin, and status in the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW) indicating their invasive behaviour elsewhere in the world:
|
Species
|
Family
|
Origin
|
GCW Status
|
|
Acacia nilotica
|
Fabaceae
|
NW Af., India, Pakistan
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Alternanthera philoxeroides
|
Amaranthaceae
|
Am., trop As. & Af.
|
W, SW, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Annona glabra
|
Annonaceae
|
trop Am., trop. W Af.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Asparagus asparagoides
|
Liliaceae
|
S-Af.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Cabomba caroliniana
|
Cabombaceae
|
S-Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Chrysanthemoides monilifera subsp. monilifera & C. monilifera subsp. rotundata
|
Asteraceae
|
S-Af.
|
W, SW, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Species
|
Family
|
Origin
|
GCW Status
|
|
Cryptostegia grandiflora
|
Asclepiaceae
|
Madagascar
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Hymenachne amplexicaulis
|
Poaceae
|
Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Lantana camara
|
Verbenaceae
|
Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Mimosa pigra
|
Fabaceae
|
Af., Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Nassella neesiana
|
Poaceae
|
S-Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Nassella trichotoma
|
Poaceae
|
S-Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Parkinsonia aculeata
|
Fabaceae
|
Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Parthenium hysterophorus
|
Asteraceae
|
Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Prosopis spp.
|
Fabaceae
|
Am.
|
/
|
|
Rubus fruticosus agg.
|
Rosaceae
|
Eur.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Salix spp. except S.babylonica, S.x calodendron & S.x reichardtiji
|
Salicaceae
|
/
|
/
|
|
Salvinia molesta
|
Salviniaceae
|
S-Am.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Tamarix aphylla
|
Tamaricaceae
|
Af. As.
|
W, SW, NW, AW, EW
|
|
Ulex europaeus
|
Fabaceae
|
Eur.
|
W, NW, AW, EW
|
* Abbreviations for the Global Compendium of Weeds column:
W: weed; SW: sleeper weed; NW: noxious weed; AW: Agricultural weed; EW: environmental weed.
The species in bold is listed on the EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants.
Sources
|
Weeds of national significance (WONS). http://www.weeds.gov.au/weeds/lists/wons.html
A Global Compendium of Weeds. http://www.hear.org/gcw/alpha_select_gcw.htm
|