Acalypha lanceolata Willd., Euphorbiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Acalypha boehmerioides Miq.

Common name(s): [more details]

Maori (Cook Islands): māngiongio, puapua

Niuean: magiho, mangiho, ongoongo

Samoan: ogo ogo

Tongan: hongohongo

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect monoecious herb 10-100 cm in height. Stems longitudinally grooved, appressed-pubescent. Leaves alternate, simple, blade ovate 1-8 x 0.8-5 cm, acute to acuminate at the apex, rounded at the base; margins coarsely serrate; surfaces densely pubescent, gland-dotted; petiole 0.5-5 cm long. Inflorescence of 1-4 axillary spikes 5-30 mm long. Flowers unisexual, apetalous, the lower ones female, upper ones male. Male flowers minute, less than 0.5 mm in diameter, clustered; stamens 8. Female flowers subtended by a pubescent, sheathing, cup-shaped bract 1.5-3 mm long with a serrate margin; styles 3, divided into filiform stigmas. Fruit a pubescent, 3-lobed schizocarp 1-2 mm long, splitting into 3 one-seeded segments." (Whistler, 1995; p. 4).

Habitat/ecology:  "Uncommon to occasional in disturbed places" (Whistler, 1995; p. 4). In New Guinea, "a weed of cultivation, roadsides and house-yards, often in partly-shaded places. At low altitudes, not often common" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 96).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Old World tropics. A ancient introduction as far eastward as Samoa or perhaps the Cook Islands. (Whistler, 1995; p. 4).

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		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Garber 1014, Whistler 3449
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Harris 7, Harris 74, Yuncher 9280, Whistler 1301, Whistler 1371
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 132)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. (1969) (p. 8) Voucher cited: Fosberg 46666 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 132)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 132)
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	New Guinea Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 84) Voucher cited: CHR 169838
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 17)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 73) "An occasional weed along roadsides and in plantations".
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 132)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 103)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 132)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Kayangel (Ngcheangel) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 132)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 106)
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. (2007)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 17)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 21) Vouchers cited: Soakai 663, Soakai 659
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 21) Voucher cited: Soakai 945
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuatoputapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 163) Voucher cited: Hürlimann 396
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 21) Voucher cited: Crosby 149 (2)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 163) Cited: Crosby.

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)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

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. 102)
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (pp. 37, 38) On both main atoll and North Keeling Island.
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	native	Williams, D. G. (1994) (p. 22)

Additional information:  Additional online information about Acalypha lanceolata is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

References:

Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. 1969. A collection of plants from Fais, Caroline Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 133. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 15 pp.

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.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1993. Flora of Australia. Vol. 50, Oceanic islands 2. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

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

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

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

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

Whistler, W. A. 1990. Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands: The plants, their Maori names, and their uses. Allertonia 5(4):347-424.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. The weeds of Manu‘a [unpublished checklist]. 18 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Williams, D. G. 1994. Vegetation and flora of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 404. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 29 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.