Arthrostemma ciliatum Pav. ex D. Don, Melastomataceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: arthrostemma, everblooming eavender

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Scandent perennial herbs; stems succulent; 1-4 m long, glabrous or glandular pilose.  Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2.5-4.3 cm long, 1.4-4.5 cm wide, 5-7-nerved, upper surface sparsely bristly, lower surface glabrous to glandular bristly, margins ciliolate-serrulate, apex acute to long-acuminate, base truncate to subcordate, petioles 0.6-3.2 cm long.  Pedicels 7-15 (-19) mm long in fruit; hypanthium 7-10 mm long in flower; calyx lobes 1-3.5 mm long in fruit, 2-3.5 mm wide at base, with 1-2 subapical glandular hairs; petals obliquely apiculate, 2-3 cm long, 1.1-1.6 cm wide; anthers of larger stamens ca. 6 mm long, connective prolonged 0.25-0.5 mm or 5-7 mm below and modified basally into ventral, bifid spurs ca. 1.5 mm long or linear, apically acute or lobed spurs 3-5 mm long, respectively, anthers of smaller stamens ca. 5 mm long, connective not prolonged ventrally but modified at the filament insertion into a deeply notched spur ca. 2 mm long.  Fruiting hypanthium oblong-ellipsoid, 15-20 mm long, 8-9 mm wide.  Seeds ca. 1 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 905-906).

Habitat/ecology:  "Sprawling growth smothers smaller plants in pastures and along forest edges"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Propagation:  Seed, probably spread by birds.

Native range:  Neotropics.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 905-906)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 905-906)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Comments:  This species exhibits two distinctive floral morphs that are otherwise identical in vegetative and fruit characters. One exhibits subequal incurved stamens with barely prolonged connectives below the anther sacs. The other morph has markedly unequal stamens with the larger set having prolonged connectives below the anther sacs that are conspicuously bent at the filament insertion (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 905-906).

Control: 

Chemical:  "Sensitive to foliar applied triclopyr at 1 lb/acre; dicamba less effective; 2,4-D poor"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:
Excerpt from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).

Additional online information about Arthrostemma ciliatum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

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

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).