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.