Skip to main content

Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

The notice period started at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Friday, 1 January 2027 +08:00.

Sparaxis bulbifera (L.) Ker Gawl.

Reference
K.D.Koenig & Sims, Ann.Bot. 1:225 (1804)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Alien to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Cormous, perennial, herb, to 0.7 m high. Fl. white-cream-yellow-purple, Sep to Oct. Brown clay loam,grey-white sandy clay, gravel, granite, limestone. Flood plains, valley slopes, along drains, roadsides.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 16 August 2007
Image

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren.
IBRA Subregions
Katanning, Northern Jarrah Forest, Perth, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren.
IMCRA Regions
Leeuwin-Naturaliste.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Albany, Augusta Margaret River, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Busselton, Canning, Capel, Chittering, Cranbrook, Dardanup, Donnybrook-Balingup, Gingin, Gosnells, Kalamunda, Katanning, Manjimup, Mundaring, Perth, Plantagenet, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Stirling, Swan, Wanneroo, Waroona, York.

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

General Biology. Growth form. Geophyte. Life form. Annually renewed corm. Reproduction. Primarily seed, occasionally offsets and cormels on stems. Dispersal. Water, soil. Time to first flowering. 2-3 years. Seedbank persistence. Less than one year. Fire response. Generally survives fire.

Additional information. Origin. South Africa.

Suggested method of management and control. Spot spray metsulfuron methyl 0.2 g/15 L + Pulse® or 2.5-5 g/ha + Pulse® . Apply just on flowering at corm exhaustion. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.

Management Calendar

Calendar Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Comments
Dormant Y Y Y               Y Y  
Active Growth       Y Y Y Y Y Y Y      
Flowering                 Y Y      
Germination       Y Y Y Y Y          
Optimum Treatment                 Y        

Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.

 

References

  • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
  • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2003) Sparaxis bulbifera (Iridaceae) invading a clay based wetland on the Swan Coastal Plain - control methods and observations on the reproductive biology. Plant Protection Quarterly, 18 (1): 26-30.
  • Brown, K. & Paczkowska, G. (2008) Seed biology of two invasive South African geophytes and implications for natural area management. Ecological Management & Restoration, 9 (3): 232-234.
  • Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
  • Manning, J., Goldblatt, P. & Snijman, D. (2002) The color encyclopedia of Cape bulbs. Timber Press, Portland, USA.
  • Moore, C.B. & Moore, J.H. (2002) Herbiguide, the pesticide expert on a disk. Herbiguide, PO Box 44 Albany, Western Australia, 6330.