Damasonium minus | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Alismatales |
Family: | Alismataceae |
Genus: | Damasonium |
Species: | D. minus
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Binomial name | |
Damasonium minus | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Damasonium australe Salisb. (nom. illeg.) nom. superfl. |
Damasonium minus is a species of flowering plant in the water-plantain family known by the common names starfruit and star-fruit (not to be confused with the cultivated starfruit). [1] It is native to Australia, where it occurs everywhere except the Northern Territory. [1] [3] It is perhaps best known as an agricultural weed. It is a major weed of Australian rice crops. [4] [5] [6]
This species is an emergent aquatic plant. It is an annual or short-lived perennial herb growing up to a meter tall. The floating or emergent leaves have blades up to 10 centimeters long by 4 wide and lance-shaped to heart-shaped. They are borne on petioles up to 30 centimeters long. The branching inflorescence has whorls of flowers. Each flower has tiny green sepals and white or pink petals a few millimeters long. The star-shaped aggregate fruit is made up of follicles containing seeds. [3] [7]
This plant grows in habitat with slow-moving and still water, such as swamps. [3]
In agriculture, this plant has been called "the most important broadleaf weed in the Australian rice crop." [5] Most rice is grown in Victoria and New South Wales. [5] This weed has been controlled with the herbicide bensulfuron-methyl, but it has become less effective as herbicide-resistant strains have evolved. [5] A pathogenic fungus, Rhynchosporium alismatis, was discovered on the plant, and it has become an option for biological control as a mycoherbicide. The fungus causes chlorosis and necrosis of the leaves on the mature plant and stunting of immature individuals. If immature weeds in a paddy are stunted, the rice plants may have a competitive advantage. [4] The fungus can kill seedlings, and if it infects the inflorescence of the weed it can reduce seed weight and viability. [8] The fungus can also help control another rice weed, Alisma lanceolatum. [6]
Damasonium minus | |
---|---|
![]() | |
![]() | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Alismatales |
Family: | Alismataceae |
Genus: | Damasonium |
Species: | D. minus
|
Binomial name | |
Damasonium minus | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Damasonium australe Salisb. (nom. illeg.) nom. superfl. |
Damasonium minus is a species of flowering plant in the water-plantain family known by the common names starfruit and star-fruit (not to be confused with the cultivated starfruit). [1] It is native to Australia, where it occurs everywhere except the Northern Territory. [1] [3] It is perhaps best known as an agricultural weed. It is a major weed of Australian rice crops. [4] [5] [6]
This species is an emergent aquatic plant. It is an annual or short-lived perennial herb growing up to a meter tall. The floating or emergent leaves have blades up to 10 centimeters long by 4 wide and lance-shaped to heart-shaped. They are borne on petioles up to 30 centimeters long. The branching inflorescence has whorls of flowers. Each flower has tiny green sepals and white or pink petals a few millimeters long. The star-shaped aggregate fruit is made up of follicles containing seeds. [3] [7]
This plant grows in habitat with slow-moving and still water, such as swamps. [3]
In agriculture, this plant has been called "the most important broadleaf weed in the Australian rice crop." [5] Most rice is grown in Victoria and New South Wales. [5] This weed has been controlled with the herbicide bensulfuron-methyl, but it has become less effective as herbicide-resistant strains have evolved. [5] A pathogenic fungus, Rhynchosporium alismatis, was discovered on the plant, and it has become an option for biological control as a mycoherbicide. The fungus causes chlorosis and necrosis of the leaves on the mature plant and stunting of immature individuals. If immature weeds in a paddy are stunted, the rice plants may have a competitive advantage. [4] The fungus can kill seedlings, and if it infects the inflorescence of the weed it can reduce seed weight and viability. [8] The fungus can also help control another rice weed, Alisma lanceolatum. [6]