Oldenlandia corymbosa L., Rubiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: san fang hua er cao

English: Old World diamond-flower, flat-top mille graines

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annual herb with ascending or erect 4-anged stems; leaves acute at both ends, linear-oblong or narrowly elliptic, 1-3.5 cm long, 1.5-7 mm wide, subsessile or petiole very short, blade pale beneath, midrib prominent; flowers few (2-8) in axillary cymes shorter than the leaves; flowers white or faintly pinkish-purplish, on slender pedicels 4-8 mm long; calyx not exceeding ovary; corolla about 2 mm long; stamens inserted just above the base of the tube; capsule about 2 x 2 mm, exalate, flattened at apex, slightly laterally compressed"  (Stone, 1970; pp. 546-547).

"Slender annual or perennial herbs; stems prostrate to weakly erect, 1-4 dm long, few-branched to many-branched, glabrous.  Leaves narrowly oblong to linear, 15-20 (-30) mm long, 2-5 mm wide, apex acute, base cuneate, petioles ca. 1 mm long, stipules ca. 2.5 mm long, connate, margins with several glandular teeth of unequal length.  Flowers 1-3 (-5), axillary, peduncles ca. 8-10 (-15) mm long; calyx 4-toothed, the teeth ca. 1 mm long; corolla lavender to white, thin, broadly tubular, 4-lobed, ca. 2 mm long, the lobes 1-2 mm long.  Fruit didymous, somewhat laterally compressed, thinly cartilaginous, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 2-2.5 mm wide.  Seeds numerous per cell, angular, ca. 0.25 mm long, areolate"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1141, 1891).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in vicinity of Hilo to Volcano, Hawai‘i, and apparently recently naturalized in Honolulu"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1141). In American Samoa, "uncommon in disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 34). In New Guinea, "a weed of gardens and roadsides, and in natural situations; grassland, streamsides, foreshores" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 145).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Native to tropical Africa, including Madagascar, and India.
A pantropical weed (Stone, 1970; pp. 546-547).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 34) Voucher cited: Sykes 17
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1999) (voucher ID: PTBG 29189) Taxon name on voucher: Oldenlandia corymbosa L.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 61) Vouchers cited: CBM-BS-58957, CBM-BS-59224
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 61) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-59000
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 65)
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. (1993) (p. 68) Voucher cited: Fosberg 60171 (US, BISH, POM, NY, L)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 23) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 130) Vouchers cited: F.R. Fosberg 60420 (BISH), S.F. Glassman 2423 (BISH), S.F. Glassman 2871 (BISH), D.H. Lorence 7913 (PTBG), K.M. Nagata 1486 (BISH) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. (1969) (p. 13) Voucher cited: Fosberg 46685 (US)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1989) (voucher ID: PTBG 3816) Taxon name on voucher: Oldenlandia corymbosa
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (pp. 546-547)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1141) Voucher cited: Kami s .n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 24) Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 000409-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (pp. 40-41) Voucher cited: Starr, Starr, Higashino & Abbott 040330-2 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 50) Voucher cited: D. Lorence & H. Iltis 6611 (BISH, MO, PTBG, US)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1141) East Maui. Voucher cited: Hobdy 2334 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 12) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H30019 (BISH), Oppenheimer H40018 (BISH), Oppenheimer H700108 (PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1141) Voucher cited: Wagner 5685 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007) As Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Butaritari Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 77)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 74) Voucher: Imada 2003-20 (BISH 697635)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. (1993) (p. 68) Voucher cited: Raulerson 3659 (US)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1962) (p. 35) Voucher cited: Fosberg 41398 (US)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kili (Kõle) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2006) (p. 11) "Common; in fields and ruderal areas".
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 64) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 41376, Fosberg 48018, Herbst 8902, Herbst 8908, Herbst 8956, Herbst 8979, Herbst 9020, Herbst 9033, Whistler 11274
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 47558) Taxon name on voucher: Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 11) "Common to abundant; in lawns and ruderal areas of Arno village and other parts visited".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 119) "Weed in gardens, in potted plants, along roadways and ruderal areas".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Mili (Mile) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2010) (p. A20) Uncommon; weed around houses and in ruderal areas. Voucher 0726201006 (BISH, GUAM, PTBG)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Wotje (Wõjjã) Atoll		Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2009) (p. 1) Voucher cited: Vander Velde 0514200902
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Wotje (Wõjjã) Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2009) (voucher ID: PTBG 49803) Taxon name on voucher: Oldenlandia corymbosa
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced invasive	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 187) Vouchers cited: Scully 140N (US), Thaman & Manner 143 (SUVA), Swarbrick 9560 (BRIU)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 44)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 104)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1977) (voucher ID: BNM 919) Taxon name on voucher: Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 102)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. (1993) (p. 68) Vouchers cited: Raulerson 5828 (US), Raulerson 6073 (US), Blackburn 275 (US, BISH), Fosberg & Evans 47434 (US, BISH, POM, NY, L), Fosberg 32488 US, BISH, POM, NY, L), Otobed PW-10029 (US)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 64) Vouchers: Lorence 9844 (PTBG, BNM), Lorence 9925 (PTBG, BNM)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 218) Taxon name on voucher: Oldenlandia corymbosa L.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2010) (p. 40) Voucher cited: Lorence 8260 (PTBG)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1998) (voucher ID: PTBG 27938) Taxon name on voucher: Oldenlandia corymbosa (L.) Lam.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 64)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngercheu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 8) Carp Resort
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 266)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 106)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 64)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1978) (voucher ID: BNM 1343) Taxon name on voucher: Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 145)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 67)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 493) Often common in and about towns, in waste places, gardens, etc.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (year unknown) (voucher ID: PTBG 41451) Taxon name on voucher: Oldenlandia corymbosa L.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 9294)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (pp. 80, 95)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 67)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 176)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 264) As Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam. In wasteland or on grassland.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 176)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 187)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 67)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 67)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 67)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 64) Naturalised
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 252)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 67)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 121)
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (p. 37)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive	Topp, J. M. W. (1988) (p. 8)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (p. 29) As Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 34)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Cousin Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 32) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 52081 (US), Fosberg 52139 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 59) Vouchers cited: Jeffrey 1183, Procter 4166, Robertson 2736
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Oldenlandia corymbosa, please let us know.