Common name: Bathurst Burr
Xanthium spinosum L. APNI* 
Description: Herb to 1 m high; stems pubescent, armed with rigid 3-pronged spines at base of leaves; spines 7–25 mm long, yellowish.
Leaves narrow-rhombic to lanceolate, 3–8 cm long, 8–20 mm wide, margins entire or 3-lobed, upper surface dark green, shiny and ± pubescent, lower surface whitish and felted, prominently veined with 1 or 3 main whitish veins; petiole c. 1 cm long.
Male heads clustered at end of branches, or in the upper leaf axils; female heads axillary, usually solitary. Burrs 10–12 mm long, with non-glandular hairs, with numerous hooked spines, c. 3 mm long, beaks 1–2 mm long.
Flowering: most of year.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in agricultural ground and disturbed pastures, on most soil types; widespread and seasonally abundant, often forming prolific stands after summer rain or flooding. Native of S Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *NWP, *SWP, *NFWP, *SFWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A. *N.T.
See also NSW WeedWise profile.
Text by L. Murray; edited by P. Lu-Irving (Nov 2024)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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