Ajuga reptans L., Lamiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 11 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: ajuga, blue bugle, bugleherb, bugleweed, common bugle

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Rhizomatous perennial with long glabrous sparsely leafy stolons (sometimes broken off when collected). Stem erect, 10-30 cm, simple, upper internodes pubescent only on 2 opposite sides.  Basal leaves obovate, attenuate below, subcrenate, petiolate.  Cauline leaves 1-2-paired, obovate-elliptic, attenuate at base.  Verticillasters approximate below, crowded above, 6-12-flowered.  Bracts ovate, subentire, sessile, upper shorter than flowers.  Calyx 4-5 mm, teeth c. as long as tube.  Corolla blue, 12-16 mm, with straight annulate tube, c. 2 x longer than lower lip; upper lip emarginate, short.  Stamens exserted from tube" (Davis et al., 1984; vol. 7, pp. 44-45).

Habitat/ecology:  In Turkey, "forests, Quercus scrub, meadows, 50-1500 m" (Davis et al., 1984; vol. 7, pp. 44-45). Grows rapidly even in poor, heavy soils. Needs moist conditions. It does best in fairly well drained soils with frequent watering (Floridata).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Europe, western Asia and northern Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011) cv. 'atropurpurea'
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 472, 518-519, 550) Voucher cited: Danton I(5/47)1442. "Esta pequeña planta vivaz es muy cultivada como cubresuelo. Su vigor y su facilidad para desquejarse hacen de ella una planta problemática y su multiplicatión en el pueblo de San Juan Bautista deberia ser limitada".

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 233) Ornamental.
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 766) "Moist, shady places".
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 11) Cultivated only

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

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

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

References:

Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John. 2011. Naturalized species in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. Unpublished spreadsheet.

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido. 2006. Nouveau catalogue de la flore vaculaire de l'archipel Juan Fernández (Chile) [Nuevo catálogo de la flora vacular del Archipélago Juan Fernández (Chile)]. Acta Bot. Gallica 153(4):399-587.

Davis, P. H./Mill, R. R./Tan, Kit, eds. 1965. Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands. Edinburgh, University Press. 1965-1988, 10 vols.

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.