candy leaf
Candy Leaf is a perennial plant, 40–80 cm tall, flowers are small, white, in clusters. Leaves are variable in shape, 3-6cm long, generally in opposite pairs along stem but sometimes alternately
S. ovata is only known to exist near Ravenshoe on the Atherton Tableland, where it was collected for the first time in Australia in 2007.
Cooler subtropical and warm temperate areas of southern Queensland appear to be climatically suited to the species in its natural environment it generally persists at elevations between 1000 and 3000m.
Candy Leaf is a straggling or erect multi-stemmed perennial shrub with a large persistent taproot from which it reshoots the next year.
A lack of information on this species in the literature makes a prediction of its pest potential difficult. However, visual observation of the species in North Queensland provides evidence that it can rapidly colonise open, disturbed habitats within favourable habitat types
Flowers are small, white or pale pink daisy flowers that arise in clusters at the ends of the branches and often combine at the apex to form dense compoint umbel-like heads. The tubular flowers have five apical lobes and are minutely glandular. They are grouped into small clusters surrounded by glandular green bracts. The hard brown fruit (achenes) are narrow, longitundinally ridged and smooth (with a few minute hairs), with a small pappus (crown) of scales at the apex
Seeds are dispersed by wind, water, machinery and animals. The longevity of seeds is unknown.
