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Can anyone identify this weed - I'd imagine its quite common in New Zealand. (I'm in Auckland, and its flooding my untended padocks, but also flowing over into used areas).

It proved remarkably difficult to get a good picture, but hopefully this one shows the key characteristics - these appear to be a flat white or brown/red flat head of flowers. Plants grow to about 50cm-1m tall, and are long-leaf. I'd imagine they are part of - or similar to the papyrus family.

Looking at Google Images, I wonder if it could be an umbrella Sedgeweed - I think the flowers are similar in the early stages to what I have seen online, but I saw nothing with similar large flowers - the description would seem apt though.

weeds growing on lawn

enter image description here

Not sure if it should be a separate question, but is it toxic to livestock ?

Tea Drinker
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davidgo
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1 Answers1

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If the leaves on the white flowered plant are the same as the leaves on the pink flowered plant, its likely Daucus carota - the flower umbels start out pinkish and usually turn white as the flower gets larger and opens, though some may still be tinged pink. This link shows images of the plant at various stages of its development: Daucus carota (Wild Carrot).

It doesn't seem to be particularly toxic to livestock, horses don't seem to bother with it much, but a high percentage in hay should be avoided. The only thing to make sure of is its not poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) because the two plants look quite similar; this link points out differences between the two: How to Tell the Difference Between Poison Hemlock and Queen Anne's Lace.

Ken Graham
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Bamboo
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