By Cositere S

COSITERE OCT 2011 1

WEEDS
Definition: Plants growing where they are not wanted
(out of place).

Effect of weeds
 Retard growth due to competition
 Loss of quality
 Interfere with harvesting
 High cost of control
 Delay crop maturity
 Increase crop lodging
 Keep pests and diseases
 Yield reduction
COSITERE OCT 2011 2
Characteristics of weeds
 Ability to regenerate when cut to fractions.

 Adapted to short and long seed dispersal.

 Ability to produce large amounts of seeds.

 Short vegetative growth.

 Strongly competitive and aggressive.

 Seed dormancy.

COSITERE OCT 2011 3

Weed classification
➢ Life cycle: annuals, biennials, perennuals.

➢ Habitat: agrestal, ruderal, aquatic, upland, parasitic.

➢ Mophology: dicots, monocots.

➢ Physiology: C3, C4.

➢ Binomial nomenclature: the scientific way of which uses

the genus and species.
COSITERE OCT 2011 4
Differences between grasses and
broad leafed weeds
GRASSES BROAD LEAFED WEEDS

Have fibrous roots Have distinct tap root

Have distinct nodes Have no nodes

Leaf is supported by a sheath Have leaf petiole

Veins run parallel to the leaf Have a net venation

Have dull coloured flowers Have bright coloured flowers

Have no visible apical meristem Have visible apical meristem

COSITERE OCT 2011 5

Bidens pilosa
Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Bidens

Species: B. Pilosa

Common names: Black jack, cobble’s pegs

Venaculla names: Tsine, Mhuuru, Kanzota, Mbuu

COSITERE OCT 2011 6
Bidens pilosa
Physical Characteristics
A weed with angular dark green stem and spiky
seeds.

Seedlings: have narrow, pointed and elongated

cotyledons which can be dark purple underside.

COSITERE OCT 2011 7

Tagetes minuta
Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Tagetes

Species: T. minuta

Common names: Mexican Marigold, Mint

Marigold, Wild Marigold, or Stinking Roger

Venaculla names: Kambanje, Mbanji.

COSITERE OCT 2011 8
Tagetes minuta
Physical Characteristics
This type of marigold may grow to 0.6–1.2 meters
tall. Leaves are feathery are jagged.

Seedlings : have broad, round tipped cotyledons

which smell when rubbed.

COSITERE OCT 2011 9

Schkuhria pinnata

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Schkuhria

Species: S. pinnata

Common names : Dwarf marigold, False threadleaf

Venaculla names: Ruhwahwa

COSITERE OCT 2011 10

Schkuhria pinnata
Physical Characteristics
Delicate, branched annual herb. Leaves mostly pinnately
dissected .
Flowers have deep yellow with green bracts.

COSITERE OCT 2011 11

Cynodon dactylon
Family: Poaceae

Genus: Cynodon

Species: C. dactylon

Common names: Bermuda grass, couch grass, quick grass.

Venaculla names: kapinda, tsangadzi, uqhethu.

COSITERE OCT 2011 12

 Cyperus eragrostis
Family: Cyperaceae

Genus: Cyperus

Species: C. eragrostis

Common names:

Venaculla names:

COSITERE OCT 2011 13

 Cyperus eragrostis
Physical Characteristics
It is a green sedge with
tall(25–90 cm) , erect stems,
and long, thin, pointed
leaves. Its flowers are found
within tough, rounded,
greenish-yellow or beige
spikelets

COSITERE OCT 2011 14

Cleome monophylla

Family: Cleomaceae

Genus: Cleome

Species : C. monophylla

Common names: Spindle pod

Venaculla names : Mujakari , Musemwasemwa,

Mutsvandimire, Mutyangetyange

COSITERE OCT 2011 15

Cleome monophylla
Physical Characteristics
Erect annual herb, occurring in a wide variety of habitats. Stems and
leaves have hairs.
Leaves simple, narrowly lanceolate.
Inflorescences terminal with bracts similar to the leaves. Flowers
mauve (rarely white) with purple markings on the petals.

Seedlings: cotyledon leaves are short , rounded and purple under leaf.

COSITERE OCT 2011 16

Datura stramonium

Family: Solanaceae

Genus: Datura

Species: D. stramonium

Common names: Thorn apple , jimson weed, devil's

trumpet, devil's weed, stinkweed, devil's
cucumber.

Venaculla names: Chowa,

COSITERE OCT 2011 17
Datura stramonium
Physical Characteristics
It is an erect annual herb forming a bush of 1–1.5 m
tall.
The leaves are soft, irregularly undulate, and
toothed.
Flowers are trumpet-shaped, white to creamy or
violet.
The egg-shaped seed capsule is either covered with
spines or bald. At maturity it splits into four
chambers, each with dozens of small black seeds.

Seedlings: have narrow, long and pointed

cotyledon leaves. First true leaves are shorter.
COSITERE OCT 2011 18
Physalis angulata

Family: Solanaceae

Genus: Physalis

Species: P. Angulata

Common names: Wild gooseberry

Vernacular names: Muguzibheri.

COSITERE OCT 2011 19

Physalis angulata
Physical Characteristics

It is a common annual herb with ovate to

lanceolate leaves, growing up to 4 feet tall.
It produces small, orange edible fruits
(berries) eaten by animal and human alike.

Seedlings: The cotyledons leaves are opposite

each other, ovate with reddish petioles and
without a distinct mid vein.

COSITERE OCT 2011 20

Galinsoga parviflora

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Galinsoga

Species: G. parviflora

Common names: Chick weed, gallant-

soldier.

Venaculla names: Chaarendo

COSITERE OCT 2011 21
Galinsoga parviflora

Physical Characteristics
The weed is an annual growing up to
0.6 m.
It is in flower from May to October.

Seedlings: cotyledon leaves are

rounded, have an inward cleft at
the tip and have long petioles.
COSITERE OCT 2011 22
Chenopodium album

Family: Amaranthaceae

Genus: Chenopodium

Species: album

Common names: Fat Hen, wild goosefoot.

Venaculla names: Kasunika.

COSITERE OCT 2011 23

Chenopodium album
Physical Characteristics
An annual, growing up to 1 metre tall,
the stems usually multi-branched.

Leaves are grey-green, oval to diamond

shaped, have shiny white hairs on top.

Spikes of small greenish-white flowers

appear from June to October attached
to the leaf axils at the top.
COSITERE OCT 2011 24
Conyza albida
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Conyza
Species: C. albida
Common names: Fleabane
Vernacular names: Gonzo

COSITERE OCT 2011 25

Conyza albida
Physical Characteristics
An erect annual herb, usually about 1m high and
single stemmed but large plants may reach 2m and
be branched.
Stems and leaves are finely hairy. Leaves are grey
green and narrow.
Flowers are carried in branched heads with each
cluster of tiny flowers being enclosed in a series of
narrow green bracts. Typical daisy spherical clusters
of small seed with a parachute of fine hairs.
COSITERE OCT 2011 26
Hibiscus meeusei

Family:

Genus: Hibiscus

Species: meeusei

Common names: Stockrose

Vernacular names: Sosoori, Ugangampunza

COSITERE OCT 2011 27

Hibiscus meeusei
Physical Characteristics

Annual or biennial herb of 1-1.5m, usually

branched from the base.

Leaf petioles are up to 12 cm; lamina (of

middle leaves) ovate in outline and
serrated.

Flowers are 3-6 cm in diameter, yellow

with dark red centre. COSITERE OCT 2011 28
Oxalis latifolia

Family: Oxalidaceae

Genus: Oxalis

Species: O. Latifolia

Common names: Purple garden sorrel, salt weed.

Vernacular names: Chimunyu.

COSITERE OCT 2011 29

Oxalis latifolia
Physical Characteristics
This is a perennial herb growing from a
system of small bulbs and spreading via
stolons.

• There is no stem.

• The leaves arise on long petioles from

ground level, each made up of three
widely heart-shaped leaflets.

• The inflorescence is an array of several

flowers, each with five pink petals.
COSITERE OCT 2011 30
Oxalis corniculata
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Oxalis

Species: corniculata

Common names:

Vernacular names:

COSITERE OCT 2011 31

Amaranthus hybridus

Family: Amaranthaceae

Genus: Amarathus

Species: A. hybridus

Common names: Pigweed.

Vernacular names: Bonongwe, Mowa.

COSITERE OCT 2011 32

Amaranthus hybridus
Physical Characteristics
Amaranthus hybridus is a annual
growing to 2 m.

It is frost tender.

It is in flower from July to September.

The flowers are monoecious and are

pollinated by wind.
COSITERE OCT 2011 33
Rottboellia cochinchinensis

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Rottboellia

Species: cochinchinensis

Common names: Shamva grass, Itch grass.

Vernacular names: Vave.

COSITERE OCT 2011 34

Rottboellia cochinchinensis

Physical Characteristics
It is a profusely tillering erect
annual grass that reaches heights
of 4 metres.
It is characterised by pale, green-
coloured foliage and brace roots
near the base of the plant.
Has siliceous hairs on the leaf
sheath that can penetrate and
irritate the skin.
COSITERE OCT 2011 35
Cyperus rotundus

Family: Cyperaceae

Genus: Cyperus

Species: C. rotundus

Common names: Purple nutsedge

Vernacular names: Ndave

COSITERE OCT 2011 36

Cyperus rotundus
Physical Characteristics
It is a rhizome perennial plant with numerous tuberose
thickenings helping plants to breed.

• Stems grow up to 50cm high, usually single, with

dark green basal leaves which spread at ground
level.

• The seeds germinate in lower places under

sufficient moisture.

• One plant is able to form about 10 000 seeds and

to 100 tubers.

• Tubers are big, elongated, rough and have a

turpentine taste.
COSITERE OCT 2011 37
 Cyperus esculentus
Family: Cyperaceae

Genus: Cyperus

Species: C. esculentus

Common names: Yellow nutsedge, watergrass.

Vernacular names: Pfende

COSITERE OCT 2011 38

Cyperus esculentus

Physical Characteristics
Cyperus esculentus is a
perennial growing to 0.9 m at
a fast rate.

The flowers are pollinated by

wind.

COSITERE OCT 2011 39

Commelina benghalensis

Family: Commelinaceae

Genus: Commelina

Species: C. benghalensis

Common names: Wandering dew

Vernacular names: Goche, Indabane.

COSITERE OCT 2011 40

Commelina benghalensis

Physical Characteristics
Commelina benghalensis can be an annual
or perennial herb.
Leaves are ovate, 2.5-7.5cm long, 1.5-4cm
wide, with parallel veination.
The leaf sheath is covered in red and
sometimes white hairs at the apex .
Flowers are funnel shaped and the upper
two flower petals are blue to lilac in
colour, with the lower petal lighter in
colour or white.
COSITERE OCT 2011 41
Panicum maximum

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Panicum

Species: maximum

Common names: Guinea grass

Vernacular names:

COSITERE OCT 2011 42

Panicum maximum
Physical Characteristics
• Panicum maximum is a perennial, tufted
grass with a short, creeping rhizome .
• The stems of this robust grass can reach a
height of up to 2 m.
• As the stems bend and nodes touch the
ground, roots and new plants are formed.
• The inflorescence is a large multi-
branched, open panicle with loose,
flexuous branches.
• This grass species is highly palatable and
attracts many seed-eating birds to the
garden.
• It is regarded as the most valuable fodder
plant and is extensively used to make hay.
COSITERE OCT 2011 43
Setaria verticillata

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Setaria

Species: S. pumila

Common names: Annual

timothy

Vernacular names: Chirarmhene

COSITERE OCT 2011 44
Setaria verticillata
• Physical Characteristics
Setaria verticillata is a loosely
tufted, annual grass.
• Seedlings

COSITERE OCT 2011 45

Setaria pumila

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Setaria

Species: pumila

Common names: Annual timothy

Vernacular names: Chirarmhene

COSITERE OCT 2011 46

Setaria pumila
Physical Characteristics
This annual grass grows 20cm to well
over 1m in height, its mostly hairless
stems ranging from green to purple-
tinged in colour.
The leaf blades are hairless on the upper
surfaces, twisting, and up to 30 cm
long.
The inflorescence is a stiff, cylindrical
bundle of spikelets 2 to 15 cm long
with short, blunt bristles and has a
yellow or yellow-tinged panicle.
• Seedlings

COSITERE OCT 2011 47

Urochloa panicoides

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Urochloa
Species: panicoides
Common names: Liverseed,
Garden urochloa
Vernacular names: Mhande,
Dlanyati.
COSITERE OCT 2011 48
Eleusine indica
Family: Poaceae

Genus: Eleusine

Species: indica

Common names: Rapoko grass

Vernacular names: Shawi, Sawi,

mombe.
COSITERE OCT 2011 49
Eleusine indica
Description:

• Eleusine indica is a summer annual tufted

at the base, sending up multiple alternate

leaves.

• The root system is fibrous.

• This grass spreads by reseeding itself.

COSITERE OCT 2011 50

END

COSITERE OCT 2011 51