Mexican sunflower

Tithonia diversifolia

Mexican sunflower is an annual or perennial shrub which may be woody at the base and grows 1,5-3,5m high. The leaves are deeply lobed and five-fingered, up to 150mm long and 120mm wide. They are pale velvety below. The flowers are large and striking yellow, up to 100mm across, growing solitary on long stalks. Several may occur together in branched clusters and appear in autumn from April to June.


Midnight lady

Harrisia pomanensis

Midnight lady is a perennial with spiny, fleshy-jointed stems. The stems are ribbed lengthwise with six ribs. The plant forms dense infestations that reduce pastures. Its spines cause injuries and lameness to stock.


Mistflower

Ageratina riparia (Asteraceae)

The mistflower grows up to 1m high with weak, purplish stems. It has dark green, non-aromatic leaves 8-30mm wide. White flowers in terminal clusters appear from August to December. It invades stream banks, roadsides and plantations.


Montpellier broom

Genista monspessulana

Shrub 1-3m with erect, very leafy green branches. Evergreen in mild winters. Branches are hairy when young. Dull greyish-green leaves that are hairy beneath. Bright yellow flowers from August to January. Rusty brown pods covered with silky hairs. Poisonous.


Moon cactus

Harrisia martinii (Cactaceae)

Spiny, succulent shrub 1-3m high with long, much-branched stems often arching downwards and rooting where they touch the ground. Spines in groups, with one or two central spines much longer than the others. No leaves. Showy white nocturnal flowers appear from November to January. Bright pinkish-red, succulent berries


Morning glory bush

Ipomoea carnea

A climbing or scrambling shrub with deep pink to rose-red flowers. This shrub invades roadsides and watercourses and may out-compete indigenous plants. It prefers warmer climates and recorded from coastal bush and savanna.  


Mosquito fern

Azolla pinnata

The mosquito fern is an aquatic plant that floats on the surface of the water. It only grows in slow-moving water bodies because swift currents and waves break up the plant. It can spread very quickly by forming dense vegetative masses on areas of still water. This limits the light available to other aquatic plants and oxygen used by other aquatic life.


Moth catcher

Araujia serifera (Asclepiadaceae)

A vigorous climber with milky sap growing to 5m or higher. Leaves are dark green and smooth above and pale green or whitish below with short, dense hairs. White, cream or pale pink flowers appear from November to April. Green, spongy fruits which turn brown and woody and split to release numerous blackish seeds. Poisonous, causing skin irritation.


Mud plantain

Alisma plantago-aquatica

Mud plantain is a large stoloniferous, rooted aquatic herb up to 1 m high. Leaves large, with blades ovate, 100-250 mm long x 60-100 mm wide, with rounded or heart shaped bases and five to seven prominent longitudinal veins, petiole to 800 mm long, flattened on one side and with small wings at base. Flowers white or pink, 3 petalled, bisexual, 10 mm across, clustered at the tips of whorled branches, inflorescence branched, up to 600 x 40 mm, above the leaves. Fruits: Achenes.


Mysore raspberry

Rubus niveus thunb.

Mysore raspberry  is a large perennial shrub growing up to 4.5 metres in height that may form dense thickets of intertwining stems. The flexible, arching stems may be downy when young but become glabrous and glaucous at maturity. They are covered with sharp, hooked thorns 3-7mm long. This shrub may form dense, impenetrable, thorny thickets that can displace native species. It produces sweet, palatable fruit enjoyed by birds, rodents, reptiles and humans and has been cultivated in many regions throughout the world for this reason.