• General
  • Distribution
  • Impact
  • Management
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
Common name
euryops (English), hawk's eye (English), sweet resinbush (English)
Synonym
Othonna multifida , Thunb.
Similar species
Summary
Euryops multifidus commonly known as sweet resin bush, is a medium-sized shrub. When the shrub blooms in late winter to early spring, hundreds of small, yellow, daisy-like inflorescences nearly hide the bright-green foliage. It is found in semi-arid grasslands and can readily establish in the midst of vigorous existing grassland vegetation. E. multifidus's spread causes dramatic changes in native ecosystems. As the plants grow and spread, they exclude nearly all species of native grasses and shrubs, forming a monoculture. There is little available information regarding the management of this species, but the USDA Forest Service is currently researching methods of control.
Species Description
Euryops multifidus is described as a medium-sized shrub (usually less than 0.9m tall). It has small leaves (2.5cm long), each leaf is divided into three to five narrow lobes, which look like the tracks of tiny turkeys. The shrub is usually in leaf throughout the winter and spring, and sheds its leaves during dry seasons. E. multifidus belongs to the sunflower family (Asteracae). When the shrub blooms in late winter to early spring, hundreds of small, yellow, daisy-like inflorescences nearly hide the bright-green foliage. The name 'sweet resinbush' comes from the sweet, but disagreeable odor of the flowers and the drops of resin exuded by the woody stems (USDA-Forest Service, Undated).
Habitat Description
Euryops multifidus grows on hillsides and mesas in the semiarid grasslands (Van Auken, 2000). Seedlings of E. multifidus readily establish in the midst of vigorous existing grassland vegetation (USDA-Forest Service, Undated).
Reproduction
Euryops multifidus flowers produce an abundant seed crop by April or May. The seeds form in star-like clusters of about ten fruits. Most of the seeds drop to the ground around the parent plant, seedlings are found near and around established plants. Fruit are covered with fine \"hair\" that allow them to cling to animal fur and clothing. This creates a great potential for seed transport and establishment of new populations (Schalau, 2001).
Pathway
The USDA-Forest Service (UNDATED) states that E. multifidus was introduced into the United States in the 1930s by USDA researchers and the Civilian Conservation Corps, in an effort to re-vegetate rangelands that was based on an erroneous observation that this species was readily eaten by livestock.

Principal source: Sweet Resinbush (Euryops subcarnosus) (USDA-Forest Service, Undated)

Compiler: National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) & IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)

Review: Larry Howery, Range Management Specialist, School of Natural Resources The University of Arizona Tucson USA

Publication date: 2005-04-14

Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2024) Species profile: Euryops multifidus. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=717 on 05-05-2024.

General Impacts
Euryops multifidus is not eaten by domestic or native herbivores. It grows on hillsides and mesas in the semiarid grasslands, and native grasses and woody plants have disappeared from areas where it is found (Van Auken, 2000). The USDA-Forest Service (Undated) states that, \"E. multifidus's spread causes dramatic changes in native ecosystems. As the plants grow and spread, they exclude nearly all species of native grasses and shrubs, forming a monoculture. Once established, the populations persist because young plants readily grow beneath canopies of older plants.\" The authors go on to state that, \"E. multifidus is becoming an environmental bulldozer, slowly and inexorably killing off all other vegetation-food for both wildlife and livestock-as it expands its territory.\"
Management Info
Integrated management: Littlefield (2002) reports that, plant biologists at the Santa Rita Experimental Range in southeastern Arizona, are researching various eradication and management techniques. Control methods include mechanical removal along with application of an herbicide, followed by careful monitoring for new sweet resin bush plants and hopefully, reestablishment of native plants.\"

Schalau (2001) states that, \"In 1999, the Forest Service tried to burn the E. multifidus population. The burn was not successful due to the lack of fuels to carry the fire. The proposed action for 2000 is to use an Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) approach. IVM uses a variety of techniques to increase control success. Mowing would be used to reduce plant size. Mowing would be followed by hand spraying of herbicide and hand digging. Mowing would also stress the plants and reduce the quantity of herbicide required to kill the plants. The herbicides they propose using would have negligible effects on non-target plants and animals.\"

Countries (or multi-country features) with distribution records for Euryops multifidus
ALIEN RANGE
NATIVE RANGE
  • south africa
Informations on Euryops multifidus has been recorded for the following locations. Click on the name for additional informations.
Lorem Ipsum
Location Status Invasiveness Occurrence Source
Details of Euryops multifidus in information
Status
Invasiveness
Arrival date
Occurrence
Source
Introduction
Species notes for this location
Location note
Management notes for this location
Impact
Mechanism:
Outcome:
Ecosystem services:
Impact information
Euryops multifidus is not eaten by domestic or native herbivores. It grows on hillsides and mesas in the semiarid grasslands, and native grasses and woody plants have disappeared from areas where it is found (Van Auken, 2000). The USDA-Forest Service (Undated) states that, \"E. multifidus's spread causes dramatic changes in native ecosystems. As the plants grow and spread, they exclude nearly all species of native grasses and shrubs, forming a monoculture. Once established, the populations persist because young plants readily grow beneath canopies of older plants.\" The authors go on to state that, \"E. multifidus is becoming an environmental bulldozer, slowly and inexorably killing off all other vegetation-food for both wildlife and livestock-as it expands its territory.\"
Red List assessed species 0:
Mechanism
[1] Competition
Outcomes
[2] Environmental Ecosystem - Habitat
  • [2] Reduction in native biodiversity
[1] Socio-Economic
  • [1] Damage to agriculture
Management information
Integrated management: Littlefield (2002) reports that, plant biologists at the Santa Rita Experimental Range in southeastern Arizona, are researching various eradication and management techniques. Control methods include mechanical removal along with application of an herbicide, followed by careful monitoring for new sweet resin bush plants and hopefully, reestablishment of native plants.\"

Schalau (2001) states that, \"In 1999, the Forest Service tried to burn the E. multifidus population. The burn was not successful due to the lack of fuels to carry the fire. The proposed action for 2000 is to use an Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) approach. IVM uses a variety of techniques to increase control success. Mowing would be used to reduce plant size. Mowing would be followed by hand spraying of herbicide and hand digging. Mowing would also stress the plants and reduce the quantity of herbicide required to kill the plants. The herbicides they propose using would have negligible effects on non-target plants and animals.\"

Management Category
Prevention
Control
Bibliography
9 references found for Euryops multifidus

Management information
Littlefield, J. 2002. Invasive weeds on rangeland: Controlling sweet resin bush and yellow star-thistle. The University Of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2001 Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report.
Summary: Information on description, economic importance, distribution, habitat, history, growth, and impacts and management of species.
Available from: http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/general/resrpt2001/12.html [Accessed 10 February 2004]
Schalau, J. 2001. Sweet Resinbush Invading Cottonwood. Backyard Gardener, Arizona Cooperative Extension.
Summary: Information on description, economic importance, distribution, habitat, history, growth, and impacts and management of species.
Available from: http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/sweetresinbush.html [Accessed 10 February 2004]
USDA Forest Service. Undated. Sweet Resinbush (Euryops subcarnosus). USDA Forest Service, Coronado National Forest.
Summary: Information on description, economic importance, distribution, habitat, history, growth, and impacts and management of species.
Van Auken., O. W., 2000. Shrub invasions of North American semiarid grasslands. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics Vol. 31: 197-21
Summary: Available from: http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.31.1.197 [ Accessed 10th February 2004]
General information
ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System), 2004. Online Database Euryops multifidus
Summary: An online database that provides taxonomic information, common names, synonyms and geographical jurisdiction of a species. In addition links are provided to retrieve biological records and collection information from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Data Portal and bioscience articles from BioOne journals.
Available from: http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=37348 [Accessed December 31 2004]
Medina, Alvin L. 1996. The Santa Rita Experimental Range: History and Annotated Bibliography (1903-1988). General Technical Report RM-GTR-276. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 67 pp.
USDA-GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network). 2003. Euryops multifidus. National Genetic Resources Program [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
Summary: Information on common names, synonyms, and the distributional range of species.
Available from: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?16459 [Accessed 10 February 2004]
USDA-NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service). 2002. Euryops multifidus. The PLANTS Database Version 3.5 [Online Database] National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
Summary: Available from: http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch?keywordquery=Euryops+multifidus&mode=sciname [Accessed 10 February 2006]
Contact
The following 1 contacts offer information an advice on Euryops multifidus
Howery,
Larry
Area of expertise: Animal behavior, Noxious weeds, Range management
Organization:
Range Management Specialist
Address:
School of Natural Resources 59 301D-1/ BioSciences East The University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone:
520/621-7277
Fax:
520/621-8801
Euryops multifidus
euryops, hawk's eye, sweet resinbush
Date assessed
Year published
Eicat category
Justification for EICAT assessment
Confidence rating
Mechanism(s) of maximum impact
Countries of most severe impact
Description of impacts
Assessor
Contributors
Reviewers
Recommended citation
(2024). Euryops multifidus. IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT).