Hybanthus attenuatus (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.) Schulze-Menz, Violaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Ionidium attenuatum Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: greenviolet

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect annual herb to 50 cm tall, sometimes much-branched.  Stems terete, hollow, with 2 or 3 longitudinal rows of hairs.  Leaves alternate, shortly petiolate; blade ovate to oblong, 3-8 - 1-3 cm.  Flowers zygomorphic, solitary in leaf axils; peduncle 2 cm long.  Sepals 5, subequal, 2-4 mm long.  Petals 5, unequal; upper petals white, 2.5-3.5 mm long; lateral petals 4-4.5 mm long, purple-striped; lower petal white, oval to kidney-shaped, 8-10 mm long including a claw 4-5 mm long.  Fruit a nodding, globular capsule, 4-5 mm long, elastically dehiscent.  Seeds subglobose with a crater-like top, smooth, black speckled with white"  (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 99-100).

Habitat/ecology:  "Disturbed situations and cultivation" (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 99-100).

Propagation:  "Seeds dispersed by water" (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 99-100).

Native range:  United States (Arizona) to Peru; naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

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)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
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	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Waterhouse, B. M./Mitchell, A. A. (1998) (p. 100) Java
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
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)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	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)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Arizona

Comments:  "A potentially significant weed, as it can be locally dominant and is fast growing" (Soerjani et al., 1987, cited in Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 99-100). "A weed of a wide range of annual crops, including rice" (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 99-100).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Hybanthus attenuatus, please let us know.