Cuphea hyssopifolia Kunth, Lythraceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk (based on second screen), score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Hawaiian heather, Mexican heather, cuphea, elphin herb, elphin plant, false heather

French: corail

Samoan: āoa

Spanish: romerito

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect to spreading subshrubs; stems 3-5 dm long, many-branched, puberulent and reddish strigose, the hairs sometimes spreading.  Leaves linear, sometimes the larger ones linear-elliptic, 10-30 mm long, 1.5-4 mm wide, 1-nerved, subsessile.  Flowers solitary in the leaf axils, pedicels 2-7 mm long; floral tube pale green, sometimes becoming purplish toward apex, 5-8 m long, glabrous or with a few stiff hairs; calyx teeth triangular; petals 6, pale purple (or white?), drying pale purple or violet, ca. 3-3.5 mm long; stamens included and inserted in 2 unequal whorls on the floral rube.  Capsules oblong-ovoid, 1-celled, ca. 3.5 mm long.  Seeds reddish brown, suborbicular, ca. 1-1.5 mm in diameter, pitted" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 866).

Habitat/ecology:  "A moderate amount of disturbance is required for false heather to establish and maintain itself. Mowing, animal and vehicular traffic, and light cultivation are typical enabling disturbances. A moist climate (above 1400 mm of annual precipitation) is required for natural stands. It does not tolerate frost or salt (Watkins and Sheehan 1975). Partial shade from trees and light competition from grass and weeds are tolerated, but tall grass and heavy weeds will eliminate it. In Hawaii, false heather is most abundant in moist and partially shaded places above 240 m elevation (Pope 1968). Clayey and medium textured soils with good drainage are best"  (Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories).  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized primarily in mesic, open, disturbed sites and streambeds" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 866).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Mexico, Central America, northern and western South America; also cultivated and naturalized (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 180)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 180)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 19)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 105) Voucher cited: F. Sohl 82 (NY, PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 38743) Taxon name on voucher: Cuphea hyssopifolia Cham. & Schltdl.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 284) Voucher cited: DA 16791
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 2761 (PAP), J.Florence 4483 (PAP) Cultivée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 180)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866) Voucher cited: Faurie 846 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Imada, Clyde (2007) (p. 37) East Maui. Vouchers cited: P. Welton 2093 (BISH), H. Oppenheimer H100523 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 142)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank (2011) (p. 8) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H70912 (BISH, PTBG)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 101) Cultivated.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 103) Planted ornamental.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 95) Voucher cited: MacKee 26957
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2010) (p. 32)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	Francis, John K., ed. (2009)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 159) Ornamental.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 817) "A minor escape from cultivation, coastal sites, open roadside shrubbery".
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 30) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé/naturalisé".

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cuphea hyssopifolia, please let us know.