Family:
Chenopodiaceae
Sclerolaena muricata
Black Roly-poly
(syn. Bassia quinquecuspis)
Other Names: Spiny Roly-poly.
First Nations Name(s):
Regional Subspecies:
Sclerolaena muricata var. muricata, S. m. var. semiglabra, S. m. var. vilosa
Occurrence:
Regional:
Common west of the Olympic Highway.
Habitat:
A wide range of soils and vegetation types, including low-lying areas subject to occasional inundation.
Habit:
Hemispherical, sometimes short-lived perennial herb to about 1.5 m high with hairy branches.
Site Preference:
Often on overgrazed or overstocked land, on heavier soils.
Propagation:
From seed.
VALUES:
Land Protection:
Colonises bare soil such as scalds, collects soil around it and provides protection for other plants to establish beneath it.
Other:
Rarely grazed by stock and can cause problems during shearing.