Brillantaisia lamium Benth, Acanthaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Reject, score: 16 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Leucorhaphis lamium Nees

Habit:  herb

Description: 

Genus: "Lamina lanceolate, with ascending lateral nerves, gradually acuminate, acute at base, 7-10 cm long, 1-2.5 cm broad, with very numerous rod-like cystoliths beneath, serrulate; petiole about 1 cm long; panicle small, few-flowered, about 10 cm long; calyx-segments unequal, the longest 6 mm long, glandular; corolla 2 cm long." 

Species: "A coarse herb, erect branched 2-4 ft. high, more or less pilose at first, with blue- or violet-purple flowers 1-1 1/4 in. long in a glandular-pubescent panicle; in damp places"  (Hutchinson and Dalziel, 1963; pp. 405-406).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist tropical areas, both in full sun and partial shade. "Weedy in western Africa, where it colonises recently disturbed land and occasionally forms large, monospecific stands.  It prefers tropical climates... It is likely to be an opportunistic species that could rapidly colonise disturbed areas such as roadsides, agricultural clearings and perhaps gaps created in forest canopies.  It prefers damp areas and could be restricted to coastal areas and riparian habitats."  (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 28).

Propagation:  Seeds, rooting from stem fragments.

Native range:  Central and west Africa.

Presence:

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	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 28)

Comments:  Introduced into in northern Queensland, Australia (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 28).

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

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

References:

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

Hutchinson, J./Dalziel, M.D./Hepper, F. N. 1954. Flora of West Tropical Africa, second edition. Crown Agents, London.