Williams et al. (2005) describe G. tinctoria as follows, \"G. tinctoria is a summer-green herb, with short, stout, horizontal rhizomes which give rise to stout petioles up to 1000 (1500) 1mm × 45mm that are studded with short reddish prickles. The leaf lamina measures up to about 0.8m × 1.0m with 5-7 lobes. It is very coriaceous, and hairy beneath, especially on the veins. Massive over-wintering buds-up to 250mm long-accumulate on the rhizomes and they are covered in pinkish, pinnatisect scales that extend to the broad leaf midribs. The flowers are borne on panicles that are up to 1m long; usually three or four per plant. Individual flowers are densely packed, sessile, apetalous, with minute sepals, and only c. 1mm long. Style length is slightly less than the ovary. The drupes are reddish, oblong, and 1.5mm-2mm long. Each contains a single ovoid and flanged seed of 1.2mm × 1-1.5mm diameter, weighing 4mg. The hundreds of fruit are regularly arranged and densely packed on the infructescence.\"
Williams et al. (2005) reports that, \"In Southern Chile (at latitudes of 36º-42ºS) G. tinctoria is a delicacy associated with Mapuche Indian customs. The young petioles are commonly sold by street vendors and eaten raw, along with salt and chilli to enhance the flavour (E. Villouta pers. comm. 2004).\"
Williams et al. (2005) describes the soils which are favoured by G. tinctoria in New Zealand. The authors state that the most robust stands of the plant are found growing on colluvium or alluvium (colluvium or hillwash is the name for loose bodies of sediment that has been deposited or built up at the bottom of a low grade slope or against a barrier on that slope, as a result of rainwater or downhill creep by gravity. Alluvium is young sediment—freshly eroded rock particles that have come off the hillside and been carried by streams). G. tinctoria grows on substrates derived from a wide range of sedimentary rocks; in the western North Island where the plant is established, most soils also have a large component of volcanic material.
The authors further state that G. tinctoria tolerates salt spray and is found growing right up to the high tide mark in the coasrtal areas that it has invaded. The plant is seen to tolerate seasonally water logged wet soils and establishes less on excessively drained and drought-prone sandy or stony soil.
Principal source: Williams et al. 2005 Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria): biology, ecology and conservation impacts in New Zealand
Taranaki Regional Council, 2003. Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria)
Compiler: National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) & IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) with support from the Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity Information System (TFBIS) Programme (Copyright statement)
Review: Susan Timmins, Plant Ecologist (Weeds) Research, Development & Improvement. Department of Conservation, New Zealand
Publication date: 2005-12-15
Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2024) Species profile: Gunnera tinctoria. Downloaded from http://iucngisd.org/gisd/speciesname/Gunnera+tinctoria on 01-09-2024.
Chemical: Best results with least bi-kill of desirable adjacent plants has been achieved by spraying with Grazon (triclopyr 600 EC) at 10 mls/litre plus a penetrant. Tordon Brushkiller (picloram & triclopyr)at 10 mls/litre plus a penetrant was also effective but was hard on nearby desirable plants (Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) and the Gunnera tinctoria specialist at the local Department of Conservation office at Stratford (DoC), New Zealand., pers.comm., June 2008).
Cultural: Law (2003) reports that in New Zealand, extensive outreach programs have been initiated to educate the public on the dangers of this invasive. Newspaper articles and public advertisements have been created. Coastal landowners have had personal visits from Rangers who inform the landowners and invite them to participate in government sponsored control trials. The author also states that, \"In cases where landowners are required to destroy G. tinctoria in a garden situation, a similarly striking, benign plant can be recommended as a replacement. In riparian situations, possible replacement plants include Carex secta or toetoe, depending on the scale of the site.\"