Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Elephantopus scaber L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: papago halomtano, papago vaca

English: elephant's foot, elephantopus, false tobacco, tobacco weed

Fijian: tavako ni veikau

French: faux tabac

Hindi: jangli tambaku

Maori (Cook Islands): tapuae ‘erepani

Tahitian: ava‘ava teitei

Tongan: lata hina, lau veveli

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect herb to about 1 m tall with pilose stems and alternate elliptic-oblong or obovate-elliptic leaves 5-15 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, crenate or serrate, acute, decurrent at base, petioles winged, very short and broad, upper surface of blade pilose-scaberulous; lower surface villous and resinous-gland-dotted; heads usually white, clustered; bracts below involucre deltoid-cordate, hirsute; bracts of involucre acuminate, strigose; corollas white, all tubular, 4 mm long, glabrous outside; achenes black, 3 mm long, puberulent; pappus 4 mm long, the 5 bristles with dilated base. The detachable hairs are irritating to a person's skin" (Stone, 1970; p. 592).

Habitat/ecology:  "Occurs as a major weed in pastures, an intermediate weed on roadsides and wasteland, and a minor weed in other disturbed places.  The plant requires full sun and thrives in a range of moisture conditions." (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 16)  Produces a thick ground cover that smothers other vegetation.

"Abundant on Guam chiefly in the southern part where it is an obnoxious weed of overgrazed savannah lands; usually mingled with Hyptis capitata ('botones')"  (Stone, 1970; p. 592).  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized and sometimes common in relatively dry pastures, along roadsides, trails, and other disturbed areas in wet forest" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 310).  In Fiji, "abundantly naturalized in cultivated and waste lands, clearings, pastures, and plantations, along roads and trails, and on forest edges" (Smith, 1991; p. 260). In New Guinea, "an aggressive and persistent weed of grazing land; often found in grazed coconut plantations." (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 70).

Propagation:  Achenes adhere to clothing and animals' fur. Also wind-dispersed.

Native range:  West Indies and tropical America, now a widespread tropical weed.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 42) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 31420 (US, BISH), Falanruw 2193 (US, BISH)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 64) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-59075
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 42) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1898 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 42) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1632 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 42) Voucher cited: Falanruw 2264 (US, BISH)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 42) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 31359 (US, BISH), Anderson 572 (US,BISH, NY, L), Moore 384 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. Field notes.)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 80)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. Field notes.)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. Field notes.)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. Field notes.)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. Field notes.)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 97) Voucher cited: Glassman 2442 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 260)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 260) Vouchers cited: Smith 7677, DA 5687
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 260)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 260) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 1224, Krauss 454, Smith 4879, DA 10158, Greenwood 746, DA 10535, DA 10797, DA 9510, DA 10947, DA 454, DA 3943, DA 9358, DA 11094, DA 7667, Meebold 21934, Simmonds 73
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 75) Voucher cited: BRY 25747
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 68) Vouchers cited: Raynal 17864, Fosberg 64826 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Mehetia (Mahetia, Meetia) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 75) Voucher cited: B.H. Gagne 1622
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 75) Voucher cited: Fosberg 61083
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	University of California (2006) "Grows in disturbed and drier areas".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Mopelia (Mapetia, Maupiha‘a, Maupihoa, Mopiha‘a) Atoll	introduced invasive	Sachet, M.-H. (1983) (p. 35) Voucher cited: Sachet 953 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 75) Voucher cited: Moore 702
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 17)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 75) Vouchers cited: BRY 26003, BRY 26007a
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 592)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 310)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 310)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 4) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H109931 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 310)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 310)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 128)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 310)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced invasive	Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe (1996) (p. 379) Rudérale, nombreuses localités
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 35) Vouchers cited: Cribs 602, Franc 209, Däniker 121, Bergeret 4, Däniker 1731, Bourret 1074 (NOU), MacKee 36646
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 35) Voucher cited: MacKee 23510
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 101)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 61)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 139)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 91)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 71)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 8) Voucher cited: Soakai 530
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 265-266) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15770
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka and Foa Islands	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 72)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 60)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 8) Voucher cited: Soakai 480
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 52)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 8) Vouchers cited: Soakai 242, Veikune 118
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 91)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 10)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 139)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 139)

Comments:  On State of Hawai‘i noxious weed list. Mainly an agricultural weed in Micronesia. A declared noxious weed in Fiji (Smith, 1991; p. 260).

Reported present in Niue by Waterhouse (1997) but not seen in survey conducted by Space & Flynn (2000).

Control: 

Physical: "Controlled by chipping and cultivation before flowering.  Competitive with pasture species because of rosette habit of young plants and unpalatability to stock.  Slashing only temporarily prevents flowering, and may prolong the life of rosettes" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 25).

Chemical:  Probably susceptible to:  1) many residual herbicides at standard rates; 2) translocated herbicides, including glyphosate (may be wick-wiped onto flowering shoots), and 2,4-D at standard rates when young; 3) contact herbicides, including paraquat, but only as seedlings" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 25).

Biological:  "There has been limited work on the biological control of E. scaber, involving a seed-infesting tephritid fly Tetraeuaresta obscuriventris from Trinidad.  There is no evidence that the fly has had a significant effect on the abundance of the weed"  (Waterhouse and Norris, 1987; pp. 277-280).

Additional information:  Information from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Photo and additional information at the University of Guam "Plants of Guam" web site.
Fact sheet from the Department of Natural Resources, Queensland, Australia. (PDF format)

Additional online information about Elephantopus mollis is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

References:

Drake, D. R./Whistler, W. A./Motley, T. J./Imada, C. T. 1996. Rain forest vegetation of ‘Eua Island, Kingdom of Tonga. New Zealand Journal of Botany 34:65-77.

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1987. Flora of Maupiti, Society Islands. The Smithsonian Institution. Atoll Research Bulletin 294:1-70.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe. 1996. Conséquences des introductions d'espèces animales et végétales sur la biodiversité en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Rev. Ecol. (Terre Vie) 51:375-401.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Julien, M. H. (ed.). 1992. Biological control of weeds: A world catalogue of agents and their target weeds (third edition). CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 186 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/ Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

Ohba, T. 1994. Flora and vegetation of the northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. Biological Expedition to the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. In A. Asakua & T. Furuki, eds.  Natural History Research, Special issue no. 1, Chiba, Japan: Natural History Museum and Institute. pp. 13-69.

Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. 2002. New plant records from the main Hawaiian Islands. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2000. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 69:1-14.

Sachet, M.-H. 1983. Natural history of Mopelia Atoll, Society Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Reserch Bulletin 274. 37 pp.

Smith, Albert C. 1991. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 5. 626 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 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.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

University of California. 2006. Moorea Digital Flora Project (online 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).

Waterhouse, D. F. 1997. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture and plantation forestry in the Southern and Western Pacific. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 93 pp.

Waterhouse, D. F./Norris, K. R. 1987. Biological control: Pacific prospects. Inkata Press, Melbourne. 454 pp.

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.

Wester, Lyndon. 1992. Origin and distribution of adventive flowering plants in Hawai‘i. In: Stone, Charles P.; Smith, Clifford W. and Tunison, J. Timothy. Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: Management and Research. University of Hawaii, Cooperative National Park Research Studies Unit, Honolulu. University of Hawaii Press. .

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.