Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Crassula multicava Lem. subsp. multicava

Synonyms

Crassula multicava Lem.

Family

Crassulaceae

Common Names

Cape Province pygmyweed, crassula, fairy crassula, pitted crassula, shade crassula

Origin

Native to southern Africa (i.e. South Africa).

Naturalised Distribution

Naturalised in the coastal districts of central New South Wales, in southern Victoria and in south-eastern South Australia. Possibly also naturalised in Tasmania, south-eastern Queensland, south-western Western Australia, and on Norfolk Island.

Notes

Shade crassula (Crassula multicava subsp. multicava) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria and as a potential environmental weed or "sleeper weed" in several other states.

In Victoria, this species is considered to be a potential threat to one or more vegetation formations. Populations are spreading into dry eucalypt forests and other woodlands, dry coastal vegetation and rocky outcrop vegetation.

Shade crassula (Crassula multicava subsp. multicava) has also been reported to be spreading into peppermint woodland at Two Peoples Bay in south-western Western Australia. In the central coast region of New South Wales, shade crassula (Crassula multicava subsp. multicava) is naturalised on disturbed bushland margins and on the edges of littoral rainforest. It has also been reported from littoral rainforest in Burleigh Heads National Park, on the Gold Coast, in south-eastern Queensland.