Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims, Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: black-eyed Susan vine

French: suzanne aux yeux noirs

Spanish: ojitos negros, tuya

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Pubescent vine, climbing or trailing; leaves deltoid-ovate or ovate, 4-8 cm long, sagittate or hastate at base, entire or with a few coarse teeth, acute; petioles winged, about as long as blade; peduncles usually longer than petiole; bracteoles about 2 cm long; calyx 2-3 mm long, with 11-14 segments; corolla tube purple, limb yellow orange, rarely white, 2 cm long, 3-4 cm wide across the limb; capsule depressed-globose, about 1 cm wide, the beak 1 cm long; seeds warty and ribbed" (Stone, 1970; p. 536).

Many different varieties and forms with different colored flowers (Fosberg et al., 1993; p. 40).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist areas at low elevations. Climbing, occasionally smothering vine.  In Hawai‘i, cultivated and apparently sparingly naturalized"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 175).  In Fiji, "locally frequent from near sea level to about 900 m as a naturalized weed in thickets, cultivated areas, pastures, villages, and plantations, and along roadsides"  (Smith, 1991; p. 118). In Australia "it tends to be restricted to roadsides and other highly disturbed habitats" (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 200). &In New Guinea from low altitudes to about 1000 m, not genrally common but well established in a number of localities" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 48). In New Caledonia, "Espèce audourd'hui subspontanée plutôt que cultivée" (MacKee, 1994; p. 9).

Propagation:  Seeds, cuttings, and fragments of stems and roots. Cultivated as an ornamental and can spread from dumping of garden cuttings.

Native range:  "Eastern Africa and ranging southward, where it grows in forest margins, black-eyed-Susan vine is now cultivated and widely naturalized throughout the tropics and is also grown extensively as an annual in the temperate zone"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 93).

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	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Koro Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 118-119) Voucher cited: Smith 1099
Fiji Fiji Islands	Koro Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1934) (voucher ID: BISH 698177) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 118-119) Voucher cited: Smith 7477
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 127878) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 118-119) Vouchers cited: Smith 8119, DA 8931
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 127877) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 118-119) Vouchers cited: DA 14365, Greenwood 205A
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 127880) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 118-119) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 205, DA 10302, Smith 5015, DA 11325, DA 10950, DA 11036, DA 11050, DA 10937, DA 10600, Bryan 200
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1957) (voucher ID: BISH 33848) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1958) (voucher ID: BISH 33849) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1924) (voucher ID: BISH 127881) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 127882) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1967) (voucher ID: BISH 698178) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 2)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 2)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 536)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 259)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (year unknown) (voucher ID: BISH 127887) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 175) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 175) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 175) East Maui Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 4) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H120002 (BISH, PTBG) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 175) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 175) Voucher cited: Mann & Brigham s.n. (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced invasive	Toyoda, Takeshi (2003) (p. 289) Naturalized
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 99) "Potential invader".
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 83)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 97)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 9) Vouchers cited: Cribs 611, Schlechter 14855, MacKee 19524, Toutain 3365
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6) An uncommon ornamental.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 109) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9803 (BISH). Not seen in 1965 per Sykes (1970).
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced invasive	Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 48)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	St. John, H. (1987) (p. 50) Voucher cited: Fosberg 11253
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 68)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1921) (voucher ID: BISH 127870) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 127871) Taxon name on voucher: Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 242) "Occasional in villages".
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 57)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 97)

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)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 200)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 362)

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. 362)

Comments:  A pest in Hawai‘i, but doesn't seem to be causing much problem in Micronesia. Apparently no longer present in Niue (Sykes, 1970; p. 39).

Additional information:
Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".

Additional online information about Thunbergia alata is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Thunbergia alata as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Thunbergia alata may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 0. Voucher specimen #BISH 127887 (Guam Experiment Station; collector's voucher number unknown).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1921. Voucher specimen #BISH 127870 (Eames, A.J. 112).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1924. Voucher specimen #BISH 127881 (Bryn, E.H., Jr. 200).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 127871 (Christophersen, E. 135).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1934. Voucher specimen #BISH 698177 (Smith, A.C. 1099).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 127882 (Smith, A.C. 5015).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 127877 (Smith, A.C. 8119).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 127878 (Smith, A.C. 7477).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1957. Voucher specimen #BISH 33848 (Koroiveibau, D. 11036).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1958. Voucher specimen #BISH 33849 (Koroiveibau, D. 11325).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1965. Voucher specimen #BISH 127880 (Parham, J.W. 14365).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1967. Voucher specimen #BISH 698178 (Fosberg, F.R. 136).

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. 1993. Flora of Micronesia. Part 5. Bignoniaceae--Rubiaceae. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 81: 1-135.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Little, Elbert L./Woodbury, Roy O./Wadsworth, Frank H. 1974. Common trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, vol. 2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 449. 1024 pp.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2008. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Oppenheimer, Hank L. 2003. New plant records from Maui and Hawai‘i Counties. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2001-2002. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 73:3-30.

Smith, Albert C. 1991. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 5. 626 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

St. John, H. 1987. An account of the flora of Pitcairn Island with new Pandanus species. Honolulu, 65 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Sykes, Bill. 0. Bill Sykes, pers. com.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

Toyoda, Takeshi. 2003. Flora of the Bonin Islands. Aboc & Co. 522 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.