Click on images to enlarge
infestation in a pasture (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
hairy leaves and small yellow flowers (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
close-up of stalkless upper leaf (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
close-up of prickly-hairy stems and leaf undersides (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
coiled arrangement of the small tubular flowers and immature fruit. Also note the sparser large spreading hairs amongst the more numerous smaller close-lying hairs on the stems (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
close-up of flowers and immature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
seedlings (Photo: Trevor James)
Amsinckia calycina (Moris) Chater
Amsinckia angustifolia Lehm.Amsinckia hispida (Ruiz & Pavon) I.M. Johnst.Lithospermum calycinum MorisLithospermum hispidum Ruiz & Pavon
amsinckia, buckthorn, corn gromwell, fiddle neck, fiddleneck, hairy fiddle neck, hairy fiddle-neck, ironweed, tar weed, yellow burr weed, yellow burr-weed, yellow burweed, yellow burrweed, yellow gromwell, yellow iron weed
Native to southern South America (i.e. Argentina and Chile).
Widely naturalised in the southern parts of the country, particularly in the temperate regions of south-eastern Australia. It is most common in Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, the ACT and the eastern and southern parts of New South Wales. Occasionally naturalised in western New South Wales, Tasmania, the inland parts of south-western Western Australia, other parts of South Australia, and in the southern parts of the Northern Territory. Also sparingly naturalised in the cooler inland districts of south-eastern Queensland.
Hairy fiddle-neck (Amsinckia calycina) is a weed of disturbed sites and cultivated land, particularly winter cereal crops, in many parts of Australia. In the south-eastern parts of the country, where it is most abundant, it also invades pastures and natural habitats.
It is sometimes regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria and appears on some local and regional weed lists in this state (e.g. in Mornington Peninsula Shire and the Goulburn Broken Catchment). Hairy fiddle-neck (Amsinckia calycina ) is also listed as a highly invasive and high impact weed species in plains grassland communities in the Lowan Mallee bioregion.
Fiddle-necks (Amsinckia spp.) are also reported to be invasive in intact native vegetation in south-eastern South Australia, with a moderate potential to reduce native species diversity. They are said to produce dense and persistent stands, and can only be controlled with sustained effort. As hairy fiddle-neck (Amsinckia calycina) is currently the only fiddle-neck species (Amsinckia sp.) thought to occur in South Australia, it is most likely the cause of these concerns.
While it is generally not regarded as an environmental weed in other states, hairy fiddle-neck (Amsinckia calycina) has been recorded in natural areas in southern New South Wales (e.g. in Kinchega National Park and in sub-alpine and alpine areas of the Australian Alps) and grassland areas in Tasmania.
Fact sheets are available from Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13 25 23). Check our website at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control methods referred to in this fact sheet should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method. These restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, DEEDI does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions based on it.
Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Identic Pty Ltd. Special edition of Environmental Weeds of Australia for Biosecurity Queensland.
The mobile application of Environmental Weeds of Australia is available from the Google Play Store and Apple iTunes.