Purple-top - introduced (*Verbena bonariensis)

Family: Verbenaceae (Verbena family).

Occurrence: Occasional weed along rivers, roadways and railway lines.

Identification:

• it is an erect plant to about 1.5 metres high
• the flowers are in dense cylindrical spikes, which elongate during flowering, so that the open flowers are at the tips
• the leaves are opposite, stalkless and toothed
• the stems are square.

The height, and the bright flowers make this a conspicuous weed.

Photo 1: Purple Top. Bruce Street.
2: Specimen from the Loddon River, Baringhup.
3, 4: Purple-top in a weedy section of Bruce St. Castlemaine.