Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Juss., Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Dicliptera roxburghiana Nees; Justicia chinensis L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: gou gan cai

English: Chinese foldwing

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Sprawling or decumbent perennial herbs; stems 2-7 dm long.  Leaves green, lower surface slightly paler, ovate, 2.5-13.5 cm long, sparsely strigillose, especially on the veins, cystoliths prominent on upper surface as white raised streaks the size of the hairs, petioles 1-3.5 cm long.  Flowers in axillary cymes, each one subtended by 2 green, ovate bracts of unequal size, the larger one ca. 12-14 mm long, the smaller one ca. 8-9 mm long, all bracts short-villous especially along the margins, the veins inconspicuous, pedicels 0-1 mm long; calyx lobes of unequal size, 5-7 mm long; corolla rose to purple, the throat with purple spots, 5-13 mm long.  Capsules ovoid, 6-7 mm long, short-villous.  Seeds 4, discoid"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 171).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized primarily in or near urban areas"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 171).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  China, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, Indochina (GRIN).

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	Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T./Herbst, Derral R. (2002) (p. 3) Voucher cited: D.R. Herbst (9792 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 171)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (pp. 3-4) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H110037 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (p. 8) East Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H30302 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H110605 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 171) Voucher cited: Caum s.n. (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Streamsides, trailsides; below 1800 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan.
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Streamsides, trailsides; below 1800 m.
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Dicliptera chinensis, please let us know.