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Blue Billygoat Weed
Ageratum houstonianum
Blue Billygoat Weed
DESCRIPTION
Normally erect (sometimes branched) herb 0.3–1m tall covered in rough hairs. Soft ovate to triangular leaves 2–7cm long by 1.5–6cm wide, apex acute to obtuse, margins regularly toothed, both surfaces with scattered hairs. Hairy petiole 5–30mm long.
FLOWERS AND FRUIT
Compact globose flowerheads 6-8mm wide of many blue-mauve flowers throughout the year; coarsely hairy linear to lanceolate involucral bracts 5mm long. Black achenes 2mm long; pappus of about five white-awned scales 2–3mm long.
HABITAT AND RANGE
Mainly coastal areas from southern New South Wales to Atherton Tableland in Queensland in disturbed sites, forest margins, paddocks and roadsides. Often one of the first weeds to colonise a site following disturbance.
