Moraea
Common name
Moraea
Scientific Name
Moraea lewisiae previously called Hexaglottis lewisiae
Type of plant
Bulbs or Corms
About this weed
This native of southern Africa was probably introduced as a garden plant.
Description
Moraea is a cormous, perennial, growing to 0.5 m high. It has yellow flowers in late spring and early summer. The flowers open late in the afternoon and they give off an unpleasant smell. Reproduction is by seed but occasionally offsets. The corms are annually renewed. Seed is dispersed by soil, water and birds. The time to first flowering is 3 years. It generally survives fire.
Impact on Bushland
Not available.
Location
Found in a small number of locations on roadsides, in Wandoo woodlands and in clay wetlands from Moora to Bunbury and inland to Greenhills. It prefers brown clay or sandy clay and grey loam. Also, it can be found in wet areas, and on track edges and roadsides.
Priority for removal
Unknown:
Management (hand)
Not available.
Management (herbicide)
Spot spray metsulfuron methyl 0.2 g/15 L or chlorsulfuron 0.2 g/15 L + Pulse® or 2.5-5 g/ha + Pulse® or 2,2 DPA 55 g/10 L + Pulse®. Apply just on flowering at corm exhaustion. Read the manufacturers’ labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. Optimal spraying months are September and October.
Flowering month/s
October, November, December
Flower colour/s
Yellow
Information source
https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/19178
Additional information
https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/weeds/swanweeds/
Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. and Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia, Second Edition, The Weeds Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park, Western Australia.
