Alternanthera ficoidea (L.) P. Beauv., Amaranthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Alternanthera tenella Colla; Gomphrena ficoidea L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: sanguinarea

Spanish: pata de paloma

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb.  Stems decumbent to erect, mostly 3-10 dm long, moderately branched, glabrous below, generally pilose above and in leaf-axils, trichomes simple or minutely barbed near the base, internodes mostly 5-10 cm long.  Leaves oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, acute and mucronate at apex, attenuate at base and narrowed along poorly defined petiole, subglabrous to pilose, mostly 2-6 cm long an d0.6-2.0 cm wide.  Flower heads axillary, sessile, subglobose to short-cylindric, 5-10 mm long, 5-7 mm wide.  Bract and bracteoles subequal in length, 3.0-3.5 mm long, scarious, with midrib excurrent in a sharp point, ca 4/5 as long as tepals, pilose; bract ovate, bracteoles narrowly ovate and boat-shaped. Tepals 5, outer tepals 3.5-4.5 mm long, acuminate and sharp-tipped, richly pilose with scaberulous trichomes, becoming tough and hardened in fruit with 3 prominent raised ribs; two innermost tepals keeled and narrowly boat-shaped, up to 1 mm shorter than outer ones.  Staminal tube ca 3 mm long, cleft to 3/4 or more of its length; stamens 5, filaments ca 2 mm long, strap-shaped, progressively wider below, anthers ca 1 mm long, oblong, 5 times or more as long as wide; pseudostaminodia equaling or exceeding stamens, ligulate, laciniate.  Ovary roundly obtriangular, style distinct, ca 0.3 mm long" (Elaisson, 1987; pp. 78-79).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Common and widespread species in the tropics of the New World and has spread to warm areas in some parts of the Old World" (Elaisson, 1987; pp. 78-79).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1966) (voucher ID: PTBG 26433) Taxon name on voucher: Alternanthera tenella
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) As Alternanthera tenella
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 12) As Alternanthera tenella Colla
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 98)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 61) As Alternanthera tenella Colla
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Mili (Mile) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2010) (p. A8) As Alternanthera tenella Colla. Uncommon; few patches planted as groundcover by private homes.
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 84) var. bettzickiana (Reg.) Backer
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (pp. 3-4) cv. ‘Bettzickiana’. Planted for landscaping at the Capitol. Voucher: Lorence 9845 (PTBG, BNM, NY)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 138) Taxon name on voucher: Alternanthera tenella
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (pp. 3-4) cv. ‘Bettzickiana’.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (pp. 3-4) cv. ‘Bettzickiana’.
Palau Rock Islands (Chelbacheb)	Ngerchong Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 7) cv. ‘Bettzickiana’. Voucher: Lorence 9869 (PTBG, BNM, BISH, NY, US)
Palau Rock Islands (Chelbacheb)	Ngerchong Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 162) Taxon name on voucher: Alternanthera tenella 'Bettzickiana'
Palau Rock Islands (Chelbacheb)	Ngerchong Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 159) Taxon name on voucher: Alternanthera tenella Colla
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced invasive	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 131) Common in low lands, especially within the influence of brackish water.

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	Waterhouse, Barbara (year unknown)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 182)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 12) Cultivated only

Comments:  A minor weed in northern Queensland (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Alternanthera ficoidea, please let us know.