Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T21:45:04.085Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Online Multi-Access Identification Key to the Propagules of Selected Biosecurity-Relevant Asteraceae (Daisy or Sunflower Family)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2017

Alexander N. Schmidt-Lebuhn*
Affiliation:
CSIRO, Australian National Herbarium, Clunies Ross Street, 2601 Canberra, Australia
Gertraud Norton
Affiliation:
Australian Government, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Canberra, Australia
*
*Corresponding author’s E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Exotic weed propagules (seeds or fruits) often contaminate goods intended for import into Australia. Biosecurity officers must identify such propagules to manage risks, prevent incursions, and decide on potentially costly actions such as cleaning, treating, or destroying cargo. According to observations made by the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, more than 20% of the propagules found by biosecurity officers currently cannot be identified. By far the most important weed families contributing to seed load of imported goods are the grass family (Poaceae) and the daisy family (Asteraceae), accounting together for approximately 80% of cases. To facilitate fast and secure identification, increase the capabilities of biosecurity staff, and reduce the risk of weed incursions, we have developed an interactive digital identification key to the propagules of an initial priority list of 43 species of Asteraceae.

Type
Notes and Commentary
Copyright
© Weed Science Society of America, 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Associate Editor for this paper: Darren J. Kriticos, CSIRO.

References

Literature Cited

Edwards, M, Morse, DR (1995) The potential for computer-aided identification in biodiversity research. Trends Ecol Evol 10:153158 Google Scholar
Identic (2014) Lucid v. 3.5. http://lucidcentral.com. Accessed September 22, 2016Google Scholar
Suarez, AV, Tsutsui, ND (2004) The value of museum collections for research and society. BioScience 54:6674 Google Scholar