A common weed of tended areas such as gardens, footpaths, roadsides and in disturbed areas. Widespread but fairly harmless.
Regarded by many as a native Australian plant, however, widely reported elsewhere as an alien plant, introduced from northern Africa and tropical Asia.

Photo: Mark Crocker
Leaves (sessile)

Photo: Mark Crocker
Flowers (group of three)

Photo: Mark Crocker
Flower head closeup
Medicinally, reported to be an anti-inflammatory. In a preliminary study on the anti-inflammatory properties of Emilia sonchifolia leaf extracts (Muko KN, Ohiri FC, Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria) the aqueous and methanolic extracts of Emilia sonchifolia leaves progressively reduced rat paw oedema, the aqueous extract showing a more pronounced effect than the methanol extract.

Photo: Mark Crocker
Flower with butterfly
The foodplants of the caterpillar of this butterfly are various species in the family Caesalpiniaceae (not Emilia sp.), but adults will use just about any nectar.

Photo: Mark Crocker