Drymaria cordata (L.) Willd. ex Roem. & Schult., Caryophyllaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Drymaria diandra Blume; Holosteum cordatum L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: he lian dou cao

English: West Indian chickweed, chickweed, drymaria, heartleaf drymary, tropical chickweed

French: mourron blanc, petit mourron

Hawaiian: pilipili, pipili

Spanish: chischina, drimaria, golondrina, nervillo, pajarera, palitaria, pega-pinto, yerba de estrella

Habit:  herb

Description:  "A straggling herb with procumbent and more or less ascending branched stems, often rooting at the lower nodes, quadrangular, glabrous or papillose especially in the upper internodes; internodes slender, generally 2-6 cm long.  Leaves opposite, blades ovate to very broadly ovate, acute or subacute and shortly apiculate or even rounded at apex, cordate, truncate, or shortly cuneate at base, 1 cm long and 0.6 cm broad up to 3.5 cm long and 3.0 cm broad, 3-7-palminerved, glabrous; petioles 2-7 mm long; stipules interpetiolar, about 1 mm long, deeply fringed or composed of a number of subulate segments.  Cymes terminal or axillary, often loose on long slender peduncles and with slender branches; pedicels at anthesis mostly 3-5 mm long.  Sepals narrowly lanceolate, acute, 3.5-5 mm long, keeled along the papillose midrib, with one nerve on each side; the 'flowers' (presumably the sepals) are said to be 'sticky'.  Petals 3 mm long, white.  Ovules usually about 3.  Seeds 1.5 mm in greatest diameter, bluntly tubercled" (Turrill & Milne-Redhead, 1956; pp. 9, 11).

Habitat/ecology:  "While seldom a weed of cultivated areas, it invades plantation crops such as tea and coffee, as well as pastures, lawns, gardens, riverbanks, ditches, and even sandbars in rivers" (Holm et al., 1997; p. 304).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in shaded, moist sites, 10-1,280 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 505).  In Fiji, "found along roadsides or in plantations near sea level" (Smith, 1981; p. 274). Moist uplands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 250). In New Caledonia, "récolté une seule fois bien que localement commun selon le collecteur" (MacKee, 1994; p. 28). In Papua New Guinea, "shade and moisture-loving; a weed of gardens and plantations" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 61).

Propagation:  Seed; rooting from nodes.

Native range:  Probably indigenous in the Galápagos Islands and in lowland areas of Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia (Smith, 1981; p. 274). Mexico, Central and South America; cultivated and naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Galápagos Islands	Galápagos Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 274) Vouchers cited: DA 14414, DA 13274
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1989) (voucher ID: PTBG 2054) Taxon name on voucher: Drymaria cordata var. pacifica
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 99)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. pacifica M. Mizushima Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 99)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 4477 (PAP). "Mauvaise herbe introduite de Maui (Hawaii) avec les diverses Orchidées. Ne paraît pas se répandre hors des plantations". Mauvaise herbe introduite de Maui (Hawaii) avec les diverses Orchidées. Ne paraît pas se répandre hors des plantations.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 505)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 505)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 134)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (p. 21) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer & J. Penniman H50612 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 505)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 505)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 505)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 28) Voucher cited: Däniker 1866 (Z)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago		Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 176) In secondary forst and on old plantation land. Also in the shade of hedges and in gardens.
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 36)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced invasive	Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 61) From near sea level to at least 2000 m.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	probably introduced invasive	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 139) In rice paddies, on open damp slopes, in damp thickets, abacá plantations, etc., locally abundant.

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	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Naturalised
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 304)
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)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 307)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Damp shaded sites, often near streams or under shrubs, disturbed areas; 200-1900 (-2400) m. This species is used medicinally and is a widely distributed, noxious weed".
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 181)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 304)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 304)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 37) Naturalised
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
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)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 304)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Comoros Comoro Islands	Comoro Islands	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced invasive	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013) Naturalisée, potentiellement envahissant.
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 48) Voucher cited: Todd 14
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Platte Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 159) Voucher cited: Robertson 2998 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

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)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi
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 Naturalized
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
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 Drymaria cordata, please let us know.