Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Ruellia tuberosa
L., Acanthaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: lu li cao

English: Daniel's great gun, bluebell, large bell-flower, minnieroot, popping pod, sheep potato, snapdragon root

French: patate-chandelier, patate-macaque

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb with fusiform tuberous roots, widely branched erect stems to 50 cm tall; leaves mostly basal, finely pubescent.  Petioles alate, 1.5 cm long; blades ovate to oblong, 4-6 x 1.5-2.5 cm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, margin undulate, pubescent.  Cymes dichotomous, few-flowered, bracts narrow; calyx lobes linear, 12-20 mm long, hispid; corolla tube abruptly expanded above, 4-6 cm long, purple, lobes suborbicular, 12-15 mm wide.  Capsule subcylindrical, 1.5 cm long, puberulent; seeds 20 or more per locule, orbicular; 2-2.5 mm in diameter"  (Howard, 1989; pp. 380-381).

"Tough-stemmed herb with opposite leaves, large, lavender, campanulate flowers solitary in the axils, and club-shaped capsules" (Whistler, 1988; p. 6).

Habitat/ecology:  "Occasional as a roadside weed in both Samoas" (Whistler, 1988; p. 6).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Florida (US), Greater Antilles, Mexico, Central and South America (Howard, 1989; pp. 380-381).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
American Samoa
Manu‘a Islands
Ofu Island introduced
Ragone, Diane/Lorence, David H. (2003) (p. 53)
American Samoa
Manu‘a Islands
Ofu Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 34842)
Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa L.
American Samoa
Manu‘a Islands
Olosega Island introduced
Ragone, Diane/Lorence, David H. (2003) (p. 53)
American Samoa
Manu‘a Islands
Ta‘u Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 10502)
Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands
Tutuila Island   Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6)
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands
Tutuila Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1992) (voucher ID: PTBG 43370)
Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands
Tutuila Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1992) (voucher ID: PTBG 44174)
Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
invasive
Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
invasive
cultivated
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 9)
Vouchers cited: Baumann 7424, MacKee 8036, MacKee 11911
Spontané
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)
Samoa
Western Samoa Islands
Upolu Island   Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
China
China
China (People's Republic of) introduced
invasive
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Disturbed sites such as roadsides; below 100 m. Naturalized in Yunnan.
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia (Republic of)   Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 76)
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)
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)
Taiwan
Taiwan Island
Taiwan Island introduced
invasive
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Disturbed sites such as roadsides; below 100 m. Naturalized in Taiwan.
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand (Kingdom of)   Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)   Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Mauritius
Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)
Mauritius Island   Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands
Seychelles Islands introduced
invasive
Meyer, Jean-Yves/Lavergne, Christophe (2004) (p. 346)
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands
Seychelles Islands introduced
Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ruellia tuberosa, 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 30 AUG 2002 and was last updated on 31 MAY 2011.