Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Merremia aegyptia
(L.) Urb., Convolvulaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Ipomoea aegyptia L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: hairy merremia, hairy morning glory, hairy woodrose

Hawaiian: koali kua hulu, kuahulu

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Vines; stems twining, herbaceous, up to 4 m or more long, usually reddish hirsute with long, erect to suberect hairs.  Leaves palmately compound with 5 leaflets, these elliptic, both surfaces sparsely pubescent to glabrate, margins entire to dentate, apex and base acuminate to acute.  Flowers in cymes, usually on long peduncles, pedicels 1-2 cm long, bracts scale-like; sepals oblong, ca. 2 cm long, hirsute with yellowish erect hairs, apex acute; corolla white, campanulate, 2-3 cm long, glabrous.  Capsules tan to pale brown, subglobose, 1-2 cm in diameter, subtended and partially surrounded by the somewhat enlarged calyx.  Seeds often 4, usually tan, glabrous"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 563).

Habitat/ecology:  "Naturalised in many tropical regions on disturbed areas associated with settlements and on roadsides" (Smith, 2002; p. 51). In Hawai‘i, "naturalized or perhaps indigenous, common in dry, disturbed sites, 0-100 (-350) m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 563).

Propagation:  "Shattering capsules disperse seeds around the parent plant. Plants spread by rooting at nodes and fragmentation. Main spread has been intentionally as an ornamental creeper." (Smith, 2002; p. 51).

Native range:  North Africa (Smith, 2002; p. 51).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Darwin Islands
Darwin Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Española Group
Española Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Española Group
Gardner por Espaņola Islet, Española Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Española Group
Oeste Islet, Española Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Española Group
Osborn Islet, Española Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Floreana Group
Campéon Islet, Floreana Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Floreana Group
Floreana Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Genovesa Group
Genovesa Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Isabela Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Marielas Norte Islet, Isabela Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Marielas Sur Islet, Isabela Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Volcán Darwin, Isabela Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Marchena Group
Marchena Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Pinta Group
Pinta Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Pinzón Group
Pinzón Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
San Cristóbal Group
San Cristóbal Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Daphne Mayor Island, Santa Cruz Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Edeén Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Punta Bowditch Norte Islet, Santa Cruz Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Punta Bowditch Sur Islet, Santa Cruz Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Santa Cruz Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Fé Group
Santa Fé Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Albany Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Beagle Oeste Rock, Santiago Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Cousins Islet, Santiago Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Mao Islet, Santiago Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Rábida Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Santiago Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santiago Group
Sombrero Chino Islet, Santiago Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Wolf Island
Wolf Island native
Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Hawai‘i (Big) Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Kaho‘olawe Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Kaua‘i Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Lāna‘i Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Maui Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Moloka‘i Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
O‘ahu Island probably introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 563)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Australia
Australia (continental)
Northern Territory introduced
invasive
cultivated
Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (p. 51)
Australia
Australia (continental)
Queensland introduced
invasive
cultivated
Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (p. 51)
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand (Kingdom of)   Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 235)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Merremia aegyptia, please let us know.


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 29 MAR 2005 and was last updated on 19 OCT 2006.