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Siratro
- Siratro flower
-
- Siratro infestation
General information
Native to tropical America, siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum) is a creeping or climbing legume that is used as a pasture plant.
Siratro is not a declared pest plant under Queensland legislation.
| Scientific name |
Macroptilium atropurpureum |
| Impacts |
- smothers native shrubs, grasses or young trees
- forms dense infestations along forest edges
- common in vegetation around waterways and in coastal sand dune vegetation
|
| Description |
- has bright-green leaves, 2-7 cm long, silky hairs on the underside, with three broad leaflets
- flowers are dark red-purple, borne on long spikes
- pods are narrow, 5-10 cm long
|
| Habitat and distribution |
- occurs in coastal eastern Queensland and coastal New South Wales
- found near roadsides, disturbed sites and areas not grazed by livestock
- is spread by seed and vegetatively
|
| Control |
- can be hand-pulled, chipped or mowed
- use a brush-cutter to clear tangled growth
- a combined approach of different control methods including chemical, manual and mechanical with land management practices is most effective
- see the siratro fact sheet for further information, including registered herbicides and application rates
|
| Declaration details |
- not a declared species under Queensland legislation but may be declared under local government law
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| Further information |
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Page maintained by Sonia Jordan
Last reviewed 14 September 2011
