Cotula australis (Sieber ex Spreng.) Hook.f., Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Anacyclus australis Sieber ex Spreng.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Australian brass buttons, annual-buttonweed, bachelor's button, carrotweed, common cotula, soldier's-button

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Delicate annual herbs 0.3-2 dm tall; stems branched from base, sparsely pubescent with spreading hairs.  Leaves 1-3 cm long, 1-2 times pinnately lobed, the lobes linear.  Heads ca. 5-7 mm in diameter; involucral bracts ca. 2 mm long, margins scarious; marginal florets without corollas, on long pedicels, inner florets with corollas, these functionally staminate, yellow, on short pedicels.  Outer achenes ca. 1.5 mm long, strongly compressed and with a whitish wing, the inner ones ca. 1.75 mm long, not winged"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 289, 1859).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "sparingly naturalized in relatively dry areas" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 289, 1859).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Australia (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 289). Canary Islands, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France (including Corsica); naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	possibly native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 18) "Found in lowland areas, particularly where there is open soil". Vouchers cited: M.M.J. van Balgooy 1025 (K, NSW), P.S. Green 1613 (A), J. Pickard 2772 (NSW)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	probably native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 8) "Found in lowland areas, particularly where there is open soil". Vouchers cited: P. Ralston 57 (A), P.S. Green 1436 (A), W. Laing (CHR)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 225)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 460, 464, 552)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 225)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 460, 464, 552)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Santa Clara	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Santa Clara	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 460, 464, 552) Voucher cited: Danton I(5/343)1686
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Morro El Verdugo	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 460, 464, 552)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Morro Juanango	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 460, 464, 552)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 289) Voucher cited: Fagerlund & Mitchell 517 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 23) Vouchers cited: T. Flynn & L. Mehrhoff 4441 (BISH, PTBG, US), D. Lorence & M. Lorence 6732 (F, MO, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2011) (p. 6) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H40920 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 289) East Maui
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 6) West Maui. Oppenheimer H110039 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 289)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 34) Voucher cited: Däniker 40 (Z)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 34) Vouchers cited: Deplanche 226, Pancher 468, Montrouzier s.n.
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Kermadec Islands	native	Allan, H. H. (1982) (p. 168) "More or less common in lowland waste places".
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	native	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 87)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 190)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Baja Norte, Federal District, Jalisco, Michoacan, Queretaro Naturalized
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	probably introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 168) "More or less common in lowland waste places".
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Arizona, Maine, Texas Naturalized
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cotula australis, please let us know.