Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana, Melastomataceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: dissotis, pink lady, Spanish shawl, trailing dissotis

Palauan: mesekui

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Decumbent herbs; stems rooting at the nodes, up to 20 cm or more long, moderately hirtellous to pilose.  Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate or suborbicular, 1.5-7 cm long, 0.8-4 cm wide, 3-nerved, both surfaces sparsely to densely pilose, margins ciliate and somewhat crenulate, apex acute, base truncate to short-attenuate, petioles 0.5-2.5 cm long.  Pedicels ca. 2 mm long in fruit; hypanthium 5-7 mm long in flower, densely covered with green, spreading, hair-like, linear-oblong appendages 2-4 mm long, apex stellate and sparsely to moderately bristly along their length; calyx lobes lanceolate in fruit, 5-6.5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide at base, bristly at apex and externally; petals ca. 20 mm long, ca. 15 mm wide; anthers of larger stamens pink or lavender, 7-8 mm long, connective prolonged 3-4 mm and modified basally into a deeply 2-lobed spur 1.5-2 mm long, anthers of smaller stamens yellow, 5.5-7 mm long, connective prolonged 0.5 mm or less with a 2-lobed spur usually 0.5 mm long.  Fruiting hypanthium cylindrical-campanulate, ca. 1 cm long, ca. 0.9 cm wide.  Seeds ca. 1 mm long, prominently ribbed dorsally with a deep pit on each side."  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 907).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "escaping and now sparingly naturalized" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 907).

Propagation:  Seed, vegetatively from pieces.

Native range:  Tropical Africa.

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	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 35)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1992) (voucher ID: PTBG 43367) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1992) (voucher ID: PTBG 43953) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2011) Uncommon.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2011) Uncommon.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 664885) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. (2000) (p. 6) Voucher: BMW 5773 (BISH, BRI)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 20) Voucher cited: Lorence 7888 (PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (2000) (voucher ID: BISH 687711) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1996) (voucher ID: PTBG 21091) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 111) Vouchers cited: M.J. Balick 4068 (NY, PTBG), M.J. Balick 4224 (NY, PTBG), D.H. Lorence 9554 (COM, NY, PTBG, US) Invasive
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1969) (voucher ID: PTBG 38776) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Fiji Fiji Islands	Mamanuthas Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 384)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 384) Vouchers cited: DA 16213, DA 16728
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1962) (voucher ID: BISH 33247) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 33248) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1979) (voucher ID: BISH 619004) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 181) Voucher cited: Florence 2088
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1981) (voucher ID: BISH 491139) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 181) Voucher cited: BRY 25400
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 181) Vouchers cited: Sachet 1409, Florence 2599
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) also cv. 'Victoria' and cv. 'Lindenii' Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493027) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 52)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 907) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Herbarium Pacificum Staff (1996) (p. 5) Voucher cited: T. Flynn 4885 (BISH) Escaping from cultivation.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 907) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 907) Sparingly naturalized.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) Voucher: Flynn 6709 (PTBG, US, NIUE).  Not found in 2004 by Space et al.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 11) Not found on this survey.
Niue Niue	Niue Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2000) (voucher ID: PTBG 30204) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 9, 85)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 11) Vouchers: Lorence 9910 (PTBG, BNM, NY, US), Lorence 9923 (PTBG, BNM, NY)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 689752) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (2007) (voucher ID: BNM 4479) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 203) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 216) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2007) (voucher ID: PTBG 49091) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 9, 80)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 11)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 634821) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6) Voucher: Flynn 6923 (PTBG, US, SAMOA)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1974) (voucher ID: BISH 417983) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 315) Taxon name on voucher: Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 36) Cultivated only

Comments:  Sometimes introduced for soil stabilization.

Very prevalent in Samoa, forming dense mats and shading out other species; occasionally even climbing over small shrubs (Space & Flynn, 2002).

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

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

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

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 2007. Voucher specimen #BNM4479(Balick et al. 4479).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1962. Voucher specimen #BISH 33247 (Fesaitu 12603).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 33248 (Smith, A.C. 16728).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1974. Voucher specimen #BISH 417983 (Whistler, W.A. W 2028).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1979. Voucher specimen #BISH 619004 (N.Krauss 1613).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1981. Voucher specimen #BISH 491139 (Florence, J. 2088).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 493027 (Florence, J. 2599).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 634821 (Adelbai, H. PW-10201).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1990. Voucher specimen #BISH 664885 (Sykes, W.R. 473919).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1996. Voucher specimen #BISH 689752 (Victor, S. LR 26637).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 2000. Voucher specimen #BISH 687711 (Waterhouse, B.M. BMW5773).

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Herbarium Pacificum Staff. 1996. New Hawaiian pest plant records for 1995. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1995. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 46:3-8.

Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. 2010. Checklist of the vascular plants of Pohnpei with local names and uses. Allertonia, in press. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 146 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy. 2010. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 26 pp.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 1969. Voucher specimen #PTBG38776(M. J. Balick 4068).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2000. Voucher specimen #PTBG30204(Tim Flynn 6709).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2002. Voucher specimen #PTBG315(Tim Flynn 6923).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2008. Voucher specimen #PTBG203(David H. Lorence 9910).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2008. Voucher specimen #PTBG216(David H. Lorence 9923).

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. 227 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. 2000. Invasive plant species on Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 43 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

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).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 2000. Tropical ornamentals: a guide. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 542 pp.