Phyllanthus urinaria L., Phyllanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Reject, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
Reject, score: 13 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. (Florida)))

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: ye xia zhu

English: chamber bitter, shatterstone

Fijian: kai moku, se mbulumbulu, tho mokumoku

Kwara‘ae: mala, mala o‘a

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Glabrous erect herb, often reddish, to 30 cm tall, few-branched; leaves borne on slightly flattened branchlets, these about 10 cm long; leaves oblong or oblong-obovate, 7-18 mm long, 3-7 mm wide, rounded mucronate, obliquely rounded at base, subsessile, margins minutely scabrous, pale beneath; flowers subsessile, about 4 mm wide, sepals 6, oblong, stamens 3, anthers transversely opening, filaments connate; capsules depressed-globose, about 2.5 mm wide, pendulous, transversely rugose-echinate; styles free, minute, bifid; seeds transversely rugulose, 2.5 mm broad"  (Stone, 1970; p. 388).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, found from near sea level to an elevation of 1,127 m as a weed in villages, gardens, and waste places, and also naturalized along forest trails and on cleared ridges and summits" (Smith, 1981; pp. 484-485).  "Common in lawns and other disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 19).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Indigenous in tropical eastern Asia and now a pantropical weed" (Smith, 1981; pp. 484-485). Fosberg et al. (1979; p. 144) list as native to Micronesia.

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	Olosega Island		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 95)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Voucher cited: Whistler 3337
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 9121) Taxon name on voucher: Phyllanthus urinaria
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Fefan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Namoluk (Nómwunuuk) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Namoluk (Nómwunuuk) Atoll		Marshall, Mae/Fosberg, F. R. (1975) (p. 38) Voucher cited: Marshall 85 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Uman Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. (2000) (p. Voucher specimen) Voucher: BMW 5753 (BISH, BRI)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 22) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1997) (voucher ID: PTBG 27772) Taxon name on voucher: Phyllanthus urinaria L.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 73) Voucher cited: Hosokawa 6076
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 122) Vouchers cited: F.R. Fosberg 58450 (BISH), F.R. Fosberg 58568 (BISH) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. (1969) (p. 9) Voucher cited: Fosberg 46663 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ifalik (Ifaluk) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 464-465) Voucher cited: Smith 7471
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 464-465) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 705, DA 9622
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 464-465) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 789A, Tothill 734, Smith 4851, DA 2430, Smith 5824, DA 467, Weiner 236, DA 9582, DA 3978, DA 9385, DA 11220, DA 9969
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 7336 (PAP), D.H. Lorence , L. Dunn, S.P. Perlman, K.R. Wood & J.-Y. Meyer 9039 (PAP), J. Florence, D.H. Lorence & W.L. Wagner 9466 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1988) (voucher ID: PTBG 8824) Taxon name on voucher: Phyllanthus urinaria
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 39338) Taxon name on voucher: Phyllanthus urinaria
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 113) Voucher cited: Fosberg 6308
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence & R. Tahuaitu 11528 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 113) Vouchers cited: Florence 2504, BRY 26414
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3395 (PAP), J. Florence & P. Birnbaum 9940 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 10480 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 31410) Taxon name on voucher: Phyllanthus urinaria L.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 113) Vouchers cited: Grant 4509, Birnbaum 109, Florence 2504
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 2504 (PAP), J. Florence 2632 (PAP), J. Florence 3175 (PAP), J. Florence 8041 (PAP), J. Florence 8117 (PAP), J. Florence & J.-C. Jolinon 8091 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (1997) (p. 131)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5960 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Adventice
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 388) Voucher cited: G.E.S. 108
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Loyauté (Loyalty Islands)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 54) Vouchers cited: Deplanche s.n., Däniker 2279 (Z), Schmid 1017
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 54) Voucher cited: Däniker 2101 (Z)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 95)
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	New Guinea Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 277)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 144)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. Field notes)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago		Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 295)
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 41)
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. 102) Common.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 396) A weed in open waste places at low and medium altitudes.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 19)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 95)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 99)

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)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 186) On grassland.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 277)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 69) Naturalised
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 277)
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
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (p. 27)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1995) (voucher ID: PTBG 37916) Taxon name on voucher: Phyllanthus urinaria L.
Maldives Maldive Islands	Addu Atoll		Spicer, R. A./Newberry, D. MacC. (1979) (p. 13)
Maldives Maldive Islands	Maldive Islands		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 25)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 277)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 51) Voucher cited: Robertson 2714
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Phyllanthus urinaria, please let us know.