Alternanthera pubiflora (Benth.) Kuntze, Amaranthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Brandisia pubiflora Benth.

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Suffrutescent, probably perennial.  Stems richly branched, erect, scandent, or clambering on neighbouring vegetation, 0.5-2.0 m tall, faintly striate, subglabrous to puberulous or scaberulous below, puberulous, thickly appressed-pubescent or pilose in upper parts, internodes 5-15 cm long.  Leaves petiolate; petiole 5-10 mm long, puberulous to appressed-pilose; blade ovate, ovate-elliptic, ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic, acute to acuminate at apex, cuneate and gradually tapering along petiole at base, mostly 5-10 cm long and 2.5-6.0 cm wide, short-pubescent or appressed-puberulent on both sides, rarely subglabrous, generally with 6-8 (-10) main lateral veins on each side of midnerve.  Inflorescences terminal and axillary, pedunculate, commonly with about 3 heads in top of plant and 1-3 heads at several nodes; peduncles normally (1-) 2-5 cm long, generally shorter than the leaves of the same node, pilose, short-villous or thickly appressed-pubescent with whitish trichomes.  Heads subglobose to short-cylindric, mostly 8-12 mm wide, white, greenish white, or stramineous.  Bract and bracteoles subequal in length, ovate, 2.0-3.5 mm long, pointed, subglabrous to richly pubescent, especially along midrib, midrib distinct, sometimes excurrent in a point, bracteoles curved at apex.  Flowers subsessile to short-pedicellate within bracteoles, pedicels normally up to 0.5 mm long.  Tepals 5, subequal in length, oblong-lanceolate, pointed, 4-6 mm long, 1.5-2.5 times as long as bracteoles, moderately to richly whitish-pilose, 3-ribbed, midrib not excurrent, two innermost (=lateral) tepals rounded dorsally, not sharply keeled. Stamens 5, mostly shorter than tepals, staminal tube cleft from about middle to about 3/4 of its length, filaments subulate, slightly widening towards base, anthers narrowly oblong, ca 1.5 mm long, pseudostaminodia ligulate, exceeding anthers, laciniate.  Ovary narrowed above into a conical style"  (Eliasson, 1987; pp. 95-97, 99).

Habitat/ecology:  "A lowland species that is well established in the coastal provinces of Ecuador" (Eliasson, 1987; pp. 95-97, 99).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru (GRIN)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)	native	Eliasson, Uno (1987) (p. 99)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	Eliasson, Uno (1987) (p. 99)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Comments:  Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station.

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

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

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

References:

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Eliasson, Uno. 1987. Amaranthaceae [44.]. Flora of Ecuador 28. 138 pp.

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