Source: California Invasive Plant Council


URL of this page: http://www.cal-ipc.org/ip/management/ipcw/pages/detailreport.cfm@usernumber=11&surveynumber=182.php
Cal-IPC > Invasive Plants > Invasive Plant Management > Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands > pages > Invasive Plants of California's Wildland

Invasive Plants of California's Wildland

Bellardia trixago
Scientific name   Bellardia trixago
Additional name information: L.
Common name Mediterranean linseed, garden bellardia
Synonymous scientific names Bartsia trixago L.
Closely related California natives 0
Closely related California non-natives: 0
Listed CalEPPC List B,CDFA nl
By: Carla Bossard,John M. Randall
Distribution
bellardia-map

HOW DO I RECOGNIZE IT?
Distinctive features:

Mediterranean linseed (Bellardia trixago) is a glandular-hairy annual in the snapdragon family, with erect stems six to twenty inches tall and small, opposite, narrow leaves with coarsely toothed or scalloped margins. The small flowers are arranged in spike-like racemes with leaf-like bracts between the individual flowers, which have a purple hood-like upper lip (galea) and white lower lip. Mediterranean linseed is a green, photosynthetic plant that must parasitize other plants for carbohydrates in order to develop normally and flower (Carafa et al. 1980).

Description:
Scrophulariaceae. Small annual herb with erect, generally simple stems. Plants glandular-hairy 6-29 in (15-70 cm) tall at maturity. Leaves: opposite above, sessile, linear to lanceolate, 0.6- 3.6 in (1.5-9 cm) long, with coarsely dentate to crenate margins. Inflorescence: spike-like raceme with leaf-like bracts decreasing in size upward; upper cordate with entire margins. Flowers: fused calyx, 0.25-0.33 in (0.8-1 cm) long, with unequal, triangular lobes, 0.06 in (1-1.5 mm) long. Corolla fused, 2-lipped, 0.75-1 in (2-2.5 cm) long, upper lip hood-like, 3-lobed, pale purple, lower lip much longer than upper, two-lobed, usually white or yellow, throat with 2 ridges. On some plants corollas are all-white. Four stamens in 2 pairs, anthers hairy, awned at base. Stigma club-shaped. Fruit: ovoid, loculicidal capsule. Seeds many, ridged, more or less oblong, <0.1 in (0.5-1 mm) long (from Hickman 1993; Tutin et al. 1976).
bellardia-illus

WHERE WOULD I FIND IT?

Mediterranean linseed may be found in disturbed areas and coastal grasslands in places below 700 feet (300 m) elevation in Mendocino County, the North Coast Ranges, the Central Coast, and the San Francisco Bay Area (Hickman 1993; Smith and Wheelor 1990). It can grow on serpentine. It appears to be especially abundant in wet years.

WHERE DID IT COME FROM AND HOW IS IT SPREAD?

Mediterranean linseed is native to the Mediterranean region from Portugal to Turkey (Tutin et al. 1976). It spreads through dispersal of seeds.

WHAT PROBLEMS DOES IT CAUSE?

This species displaces native vegetation. It parasitizes native plants to obtain water and nutrients.

HOW DOES IT GROW AND REPRODUCE?

Mediterranean linseed is a green, photosynthetic plant, but growth studies indicate that it must parasitize other plants for carbohydrates in order to develop and flower (Carafa et al. 1980). It may also obtain water and mineral salts from its host. Plants flower in spring and reproduce by seed.
bellardia-small2

(click on photos to view larger image)
bellardia-large2
HOW CAN I GET RID OF IT?

Chemical control:

Only one article was found with information on how to control Bellardia trixago, and it focused on control in wheat crops on marginal land in Chile (del Pardo and Encina 1977). None of the herbicides this study found effective are currently registered for use in rangeland or wildland situations in California. Because of its pubescent leaves, this plant is not controlled effectively by foliar herbicides. Del Pardo and Encina found that best results were obtained with terbutryne + simazine + MCPA (as Agren 3614 (copyright)) at 1.5-2 kg product/ha, cyanazine + MCPA at 4.5 litres product/ha and terbutryne (Igran 50 (copyright)) at 2 kg product/ha. Agren 3614 (copyright) was applied at the six-leaf stage of wheat, Igran 50 (copyright) at pre-emergence and the other treatments at tillering.

No information on other control methods was found.


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