Barleria prionitis L., Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: barleria, porcupine flower

French: barléria, piquant tac-tac

Spanish: espinosa amarilla

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Erect shrub 60-180 cm high; leaves up to 10 cm long and 4 cm broad; spikes indefinite, the lower bracts not clearly distinguishable from leaves; sepals acuminate, spine-tipped, about 1.5 cm long; capsule beaked, 1.5 cm long; seed about 8 mm long, densely covered with matted hairs. (Adams, 1972; p. 394)

A robust, prickly shrub up to 75 cm high with 3-5 spines, 1-2 cm long occurring in the lower leaf axils. The inflorescence is spike-like with yellow, single flowers. The leaves are ovate (10-13 cm long and 4 cm wide) ending in a short spine. Seeds are 5 mm x 8 mm and flattened" (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; pp. 26-27).

Habitat/ecology:  Commonly planted as an ornamental. Naturalizes in disturbed areas.  In the Northern Territory, Australia, "it is found at several isolated locations over a large area and is starting to spread down water courses.  Field observations in northern Australia suggest the plant may favour riparian habitats and disturbed sites where much of the original native vegetation has been removed." (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; pp. 26-27).

Propagation:  "Seeds is spread short distances when capsules rupture and by water. Spread by humans as ornamental plantings and in discarded garden refuse" (Smith, 2002; p. 27).

Native range:  Tropical Asia, Africa and India (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; pp. 26-27).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. (1993) Perhaps naturalized.
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (pp. 78-79) Voucher cited: Fosberg 58772 (US)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 26-27) ?
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

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)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 26-27)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 26-27)
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)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Naturalisé/±envahissant"
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Comments:  A declared nixious weed in the Northern Territory, Australia (Smith, 2002; p. 27).

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

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

References:

Adams, C. D. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. 848 pp.

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. 1993. Flora of Micronesia. Part 5. Bignoniaceae--Rubiaceae. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 81: 1-135.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

Smith, Nicholas M. 2002. Weeds of the wet/dry tropics of Australia - a field guide. Environment Centre NT, Inc. 112 pp.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

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