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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system, WAHerb, and DBCA’s taxonomic names application, WACensus, have been set to read-only mode since 1 October 2025. Recent taxonomic changes are not reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or in the census. We are hoping to be able to reinstate services around December 15; we will provide an update at that time.

The notice period started at 9:00 am on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Monday, 15 December 2025 +08:00.

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Sparaxis pillansii L.Bolus
Harlequin Flower

Reference
S.African Gard. 2:57 (1932)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Alien to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Cormous, perennial, herb, to 0.4 m high. Fl. red-purple-yellow, Sep to Oct. Grey sand, brown-red loamy clay, gravel, laterite. Flats, hills, road verges, paddocks.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 16 August 2007

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren.
IBRA Subregions
Katanning, Northern Jarrah Forest, Perth, Recherche, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Armadale, Augusta Margaret River, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Donnybrook-Balingup, Esperance, Joondalup, Kalamunda, Katanning, Manjimup, Melville, Murray, Perth, Plantagenet, Wandering, York.

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

General Biology. Growth form. Geophyte. Life form. Annually renewed corm. Reproduction. Seed. Dispersal. Water, soil. Time to first flowering. 1-2 years. Seedbank persistence. Less than one year. Fire response. Generally survives fire.

Additional information. Origin. South Africa. History of use/introduction. Garden escape.

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  
Active Growth     Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y    
Flowering                 Y Y      
Fruiting                   Y Y    
Optimum Treatment               Y 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.
  • 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.