Bolivian coriander

Porophyllum ruderale
Incursion in bushland (Photo Geoff Farrant)
Growth form in full sun (Photo: Marcia Stefani)
Close up of flower. (Photo: Marcia Stefani)
Close up of seed head (Photo: Wibowo Djatmiko)
Spent flowers and seed heads (Photo: Wibowo Djatmiko)
Close up of seeds (Photo: Patrick Alexander)
Leaves showing scalloped [crenulate] margins (photo: GNU)
Herb
Opposite
Simple
Green
Yellow
Multi-coloured
Inconspicuous
Bluish-green

Porophyllum ruderale is an erect, usually rather sparsely branched annual plant growing 15 - 150cm tall

Common names 
Also known as: Brazilian Coriander, porosa, Summer Cilantro, Papaloquelite, Papalo, Papaloquelite,
Family 
Asteraceae
Deciduous 
No
Flowering time 
Can flower at any time of year.
Native/Exotic 
Exotic
Origin 
Mexico; Central America; South America; and the U.S. states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Notifiable 
No
Council declaration 
SIL – Special Investigation List
Known distribution 

Queensland Herbarium has four (4) specimens, three (3) from far Northern Queensland and one (1) from Mt Coot-tha Reserve. Recently (2021) another two (2) incursions have been identified at Pullenvale and Mt Gravatt Lookout Reserve

Habitat 

Often intentionally cultivated. In the natural environment it is a weed of disturbed soils, it prefers damp moist areas in rocky slopes and gullies

Habit 

Usually rather sparsely branched annual plant can be more compact when growing in full sun

Impact and control methods 
Complete removal
or
Foliar spray

Porophyllum ruderale is an invasive species of open agro-systems. Its high dispersal capacity and its intrinsic biological capabilities allows it to quickly take hold when introduced into the environment. Effective management of the species requires its destruction before the flowering stage.

Stem and leaves 

Annual herb, stems erect, 0.15-1.5 m tall, often much branched above slender blueish green leaves. Leaves can be opposite or alternately arranged, leaves can vary from egg shaped (ovate) to upside down egg shaped (obovate) to elliptic with slightly scalloped (crenulate) margins. Leaves are aromatic when crushed.

Flowers and fruits 

Green, yellow or purplish; disk florets only; flower heads few to many; bracts surrounding heads narrowly linear with translucent oil glands; fruit is a cypsela.

Reproduction and dispersal 

Reproduces via seed, dispersed by wind and water or intentionally cultivated

Similar species 

There are 2 sub-species in Porophyllum ruderale;
Porophyllum ruderale ssp. macrocephalum, Yerba Porosa; (AZ, NM, TX);
Porophyllum ruderale ssp. ruderale, Yerba Porosa, (Porto Rico, Virgin Islands)