Muehlenbeckia platyclada (F. Muell.) Meisn., Polygonaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 6 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Homalocladium platycladum (F. Muell.) L. H. Bailey; Polygonum platycladum F. Muell.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: centipede plant, ribbon bush, tape plant, tapewormplant

Fijian: vono ni vavalangi

Filipino: alupihan

Spanish: solitaria, tenia

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "An erect, c. 1 m tall shruby plant with broad, flat, thin, articulate, delicately striate, ribbon-like phylloclades. Leaves sessile, membranous, entire, often lobed at base, 1.5-6.5 cm long. Ochreae 1-2 mm long, ovate, obtuse. Flowers 1-6 in sessile clusters, bracteate, bracts ovate, c. 1 mm long. Perianth segments 5, greenish, oblong, 1-1.5 mm long. Stamens 8. Ovary ovoid, 3-angular c. 1 mm long; styles 3. Nuts enclosed in the fleshy deep red or purplish perianth"  (Flora of Pakistan online).

"A small or large vine, often somewhat woody below, sometimes suberect, glabrous, pale green; older stems subterete, the branches flat and ribbon-like, mostly 1-1.5 cm. wide, many-nerved, conspicuously articulate and divided by cross partitions into short joints; flowers small and greenish, inserted at the sides of the nodes; fruits small, berry-like, bright red"  (Standley and Steyermark, 1946; 24(4) pp. 120-121).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Caledonia: "Cette plante curieuse, assez répandue mais jamais commune dans les jardins et très rarement subspontanée, ne semble pas être indigène en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Quoi qu'il en soit, l'espèce paraÎt être introduite en Nouvelle-Calédonie, peut-être avant l'arrivée dos Européen bien qu'aujourd'hui elle ne soit pas spécialement associée aux jardins mélanésiens. Elle serait indigène en Nouvelle-Guinée et aux Iles Salomon mais seulement plantée en d'autres pays tropicaux" (MacKee, 1994; pp.116-117).  "

In the Hawaiian Islands it is said to prefer a heavily shaded, humid, sheltered situation, but it also grows in lighter shade or almost full sun as long as adequate soil moisture is provided; it prefers a good deal of water, more than is found in most gardens, and does not tolerate salt spray.  On the other hand, in southern Florida it has been recommended as a shrub suitable for use in xeriscape gardens, with moderate drought tolerance and a high light requirement"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; pp. 463-464).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 307) As Homalocladium platycladum (F. J. Muell.) L. H. Bailey. Vouchers cited: DA 3014, DA 738
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Homalocladium platycladum (F.J. Mueller) L.H. Bailey
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Homalocladium platycladum (F.J. Mueller) L.H. Bailey
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Homalocladium platycladum (F.J. Mueller) L.H. Bailey; voucher cited: J. Florence 2398 (PAP)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Homalocladium platycladum (F.J. Mueller) L.H. Bailey
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1936) (voucher ID: BISH 63703) Taxon name on voucher: Homalocladium platycladum
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (year unknown) (voucher ID: PTBG 56167) Taxon name on voucher: Homalocladium platycladum
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1937) (voucher ID: BISH 63704) Taxon name on voucher: Homalocladium platycladum
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 116-117) Vouchers cited: Hughan s.n. (MEL), Grunow s.n. (W), Däniker 2857 (Z), MacKee 15877
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	New Guinea Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 307)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 307)

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)	Australia (continental)	introduced cultivated	Randall, R. P. (2007) (p. 316)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	introduced invasive cultivated	Standley, Paul C./Steyermark, Julian A. (1946) (pp. 24(4)120-121) Cultivated commonly for ornament or as a curiosity in gardens at low and middle elevations; more or less naturalized about Coban in thickets and hedges, and probably also in other parts of the country.
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Lima Naturalized

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Muehlenbeckia platyclada, please let us know.