Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Xenostegia tridentata
(L.) D. F. Austin & Staples, Convolvulaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Convolvulus tridentatus L.; Ipomoea angustifolia Jacq.; Merremia tridentata (L.) Hallier f.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: African morningvine

Palauan: kebeas

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Herbs repent or twining, with a stout root. Stems wiry, to 4 m, ± angular to narrowly winged, glabrous. Petiole 1-3 mm or absent; leaf blade narrowly oblong, linear-oblong, to linear, dilated toward base, 2.5-8 cm x 4-15 mm, subglabrous, base hastate, ± clasping stem, basal lobes dentate, gradually attenuate to apex, apex acute or obtuse, mucronulate. Cymes 1-3-flowered; peduncle (1-)5-6 cm, slender, pubescent basally, glabrescent distally; bracts minute, subulate. Pedicel 6-8 mm. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, equal in length or outer 2 shorter, 6-8 mm, glabrous, apex attenuate-acuminate forming a sharp point. Corolla pale yellowish or white, with or without a maroon to brown center, funnelform, ca. 1.6 cm, glabrous outside. Stamens included, ± equal; filaments sparsely pubescent basally; anthers ellipsoid-sagittate. Ovary glabrous. Capsule globose or ovoid, papery. Seeds blackish, 3-4 mm, glabrous, apex acute"  (Flora of China).

"A very variable polymorphic perennial. Stems prostrate or twining up to 2 m. long, glabrous or hairy, slender, subterete to angular, striate-ribbed. Leaf lamina linear or lanceolate to oblong, 2-8ú5 x 0ú1-2ú3 cm., more or less obtuse, acuminate to emarginate, mucronulate at the apex, hastate or auriculate at the base, with the lobes often one-several-toothed, glabrous or hairy; petiole 0-3 mm. long. Inflorescence one-few-flowered; peduncle very slender 1-6 cm. long; bracteoles minute, lanceolate or cuspidate, persistent; pedicels thickened upwards, 4-17 mm. long, sometimes winged and crisped. Sepals subequal, oblong or lanceolate, 4-10 mm. long, the outer 2 usually shorter, obtuse or subacute to attenuate-acuminate, cuspidate or mucronate, sometimes winged and crisped. Corolla pale yellow, cream, green or white, often with a darker reddish or brownish centre, funnel-shaped, 10-18 mm. long; limb shallowly 5-lobed with more or less broadly triangular acute lobes and midpetaline areas well defined. Capsule globose to ovoid with papery valves, straw-coloured. Seeds 4 or fewer yellowish brown to dark greyish brown, glabrous." (JStor's Global Plants entry for Xenostegia tridentata)

Habitat/ecology:  In China, "Sandy fields near the coast, cultivated areas, wasteland, roadsides, forest openings; 0-300 m"  (Flora of China).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa, Asia, Australia; possibly into Micronesia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
As Merremia tridentata (L.) Hall. f. ssp. hastata v. Ooststr.
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 6)
Voucher: Lorence 9906 (PTBG, BNM, NY)
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 199)
Taxon name on voucher: Xenostegia tridentata (L.) D. F. Austin & Staples
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)
Philippines
Philippine Islands
Philippine Islands native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines
Philippine Islands
Philippine Islands   Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 361)
As Merremia hastata. In open grasslands at low altitudes, usually common.
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 native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia
Australia (continental)
Queensland native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia (Kingdom of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan
Japan
Japan introduced
Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 187)
As Merremia tridentata Hall. subsp. hastata (Desr.) Ooststr.
Malaysia
Malaysia
Malaysia (country of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) native
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) native
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 91)
Common
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand (Kingdom of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam (Socialist Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
La Réunion (France)
La Réunion Island
La Réunion Island native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mauritius
Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)
Mauritius Island native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands
Seychelles Islands native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Xenostegia tridentata, 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 9 NOV 2008 and was last updated on 16 MAY 2017.