Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F.Macbr., Lythraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Cuphea balsamona Cham. & Schltdl.; Lythrum carthagenense Jacq.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Colombian cuphea, Colombian waxweed, Columbian cuphea, tarweed

Fijian: kerisi, lasahia

Spanish: escobilla

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annual or perhaps short-lived perennial herbs, sometimes slightly woody at base; stems 1.5-5 dm long, often many-branched, glandular hispid and white puberulent.  Leaves obovate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic, (10-) 20-60 mm long, (8-) 12-26 mm wide, apex obtuse, base cuneate, petioles 0-2 mm long.  Flowers few in terminal and also axillary cymes, pedicels ca. 1 mm long; floral tube green, sometimes becoming reddish, flask-shaped, 4-7 mm long, sparsely hispidulous on nerves, some of the hairs glandular; calyx teeth ovate; petals pale pink or bluish, drying violet, subequal, ca. 1.5 mm long; stamens included and inserted in 2 unequal whorls near the constriction of the floral tube.  Capsules ovoid, 1-celled, 3.5-5 mm long.  Seeds 4, suborbicular, ca. 2 mm in diameter"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 866).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in mesic to wet, disturbed sites, 50-935 m." (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 866).  In Fiji, "found from near sea level to an elevation of 1,125 m as a sometimes abundant weed in gardens, plantations, and open fields, along roadsides and forest trails, and in open places on ridges and crests" (Smith, 1985; p. 283).  "Common to abundant in pastures and wet, sunny places, mostly at higher elevations, but uncommon in Tonga" (Whistler, 1988; p. 28). "It is occasional to common in wet, disturbed places in Samoa, particularly in roadside ditches and wet pastures away from the coast" (Whistler, 1983; p. 54). In New Caledonia, "mauvaise herbe arrivée paraît-il assez récemment et maintenant très répandue, surtout en lieux frais et humides" (MacKee, 1994; p. 95).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical America (Smith, 1985; p. 283).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Anon. (1988) (p. 1)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Northern Mariana Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Alcedo, Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Cerro Azul, Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 180)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 19)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (p. 207) Voucher cited: Hallier 58 (HBG)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Lakemba Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 283-284) Voucher cited: Garnock-Jones 921
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 283-284) Voucher cited: DA 8927
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 283-284) Voucher cited: Bierhorst F173
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 283-284) Vouchers cited: Tothill 202, Smith 4816, Greenwood 786, Smith 5391, McKee 2748, DA 10553, Smith 8815, DA 9523, DA 10037, DA 11506, DA 9806, Smith 7005, DA 10578, DA 12236
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 170) Voucher cited: BRY 26033a
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 2876 (PAP), J. Florence 3673 (PAP), W.A. Whistler & M. Guérin 13 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1981) (voucher ID: PTBG 37288) Taxon name on voucher: Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) Macbr.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 9) Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H109923 (BISH), Oppenheimer H109925 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 866)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 95) Vouchers cited: MacKee 7851, MacKee 13397, MacKee 14325, MacKee 15220, MacKee 16085, Schmid 3085 (NOU), MacKee 22006, MacKee 27980, MacKee 29839, MacKee 35245, Suprin 405 (NOU), Morat 6309
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 28)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 28)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)

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)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 186)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 30) Naturalised
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas Naturalized
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cuphea carthagenensis, please let us know.