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Bidgee-widgee
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| Bidgee-widgee Photos | Family: Rose (Rosaceae) |
| Scientific Name: | Acaena novae-zelandiae (syn. Acaena anserinifolia) |  Sprawling habit of Bidgee-widgee Photo: A J Brown |
Other Common Name: | Biddy-biddy | |
Status: | Native to South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and New Zealand. | |
Plant Description: | Creeping, stoloniferous and sometimes tangled herb with hairy stems and leaves comprised of 7-9 toothed leaflets up to 12 mm long and 5 mm wide. Upper leaf surface shining, dark green and hairless; lower leaf surface bluish-green and hairy. Flower-head globular, 6-10 mm diameter and greenish-white on pubescent stems from 5-10 cm long. Fruiting-head globular from 20-25 mm diameter with 10 mm reddish-brown spines having backward pointing barbs at their ends. | |
Habitat: | Widespread and common, from coastal sands to alps. Found in grasslands, woodlands and shrublands. Not normally found in saline soils but is tolerant of salt-spray. | |
Comments: | The fruiting-heads of Bidgee-widgee readily detach and adhere to animal fur and human clothing. Similar to other Acaena species such as A. ovina (Sheep’s Burr) but with less leaflets/leaf and a single terminal fruiting-head rather than with a number of fruiting-heads in an interrupted spike. | |
 Bidgee-widgee leaf Photo: A J Brown |  Young fruiting body of Bidgee-widgee Photo: A J Brown |
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