Emilia fosbergii Nicolson, Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Flora's paintbrush, red sow thistle

Hawaiian: pualele

Tahitian: ma‘a rapiti, pualele

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect or ascending herbs, branched, 20 to 60 (-100) cm tall. Stems glabrous to usually sparsely pilose. Basal leaves tending to form rosettes, basal and lower cauline leaves ovate, more or less dentate, petiolate, blade usually strongly decurrent on petiole; middle cauline leaves oblong to oblong lanceolate, acute, base amplexicaul-hastate, margins shallowly to deeply dentate; upper cauline leaves and bracteat leaves ovate to lanceolate, base amplexicaul-cordate, margins strongly to weakly dentate to entire. Heads in very openly branched panicles, with 1 or few pedunculate heads on each branch; peduncle usually with a minute linear bract. Involucre cylindric to usually somewhat urceolate, ca. 15 x 5 mm; bracts ca. 10. Florets definitely exceeding involucre at anthesis; corolla brick red; corolla tube very slender, limb cylindric, lobes 10.1-1.5 mm long. Achenes ca. 5 mm long, dark brown, 5-ribbed, rib grooves white puberulous; pappus white" (Digital Flora of Taiwan).

"Vegetatively similar to E. coccinea but the leaves more coarsely dentate. Heads cylindrical, ca. twice as long as wide, ca. 3/4 as long as corolla; involucral bracts 10-13, usually 9-14 mm long; florets ca. 50 per head, conspicuously longer than the involucral bracts by often as much as 2-5 mm, corollas brick red or rarely lilac, the lobes 1.1-1.5 (-2) mm long" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 312).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "a common weed of low elevation, dry, urban and disturbed habitats" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 312).  In Fiji, "rare from near sea level to 600 m on reed-covered hillsides or on edges of lowland forest" (Smith, 1991; p. 318).  In American Samoa, "occasional as a weed in waste places on Tutuila" (Whistler, 1988; p. 10).  In Taiwan, "locally cultivated as a garden ornamental, escaped and naturalized in waste places"  (Digital Flora of Taiwan).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Perhaps Central or East Africa (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 312).  "Probably indigenous in central or eastern Africa but widely established in the New World in the latter part of the nineteenth century centering in the US and the West Indies, and subsequently from Mexico to northern South America.  It was apparently introduced into Pacific areas in the early part of the present century" (Smith, 1991; p. 318).

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		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 10)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 67)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 67)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Matuku Island	introduced	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 318) Voucher cited: Bryan 253A
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 318) Voucher cited: Smith 4334
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Totegegie Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Eiao Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: B.G. Decker 375 (PAP), M.-H. Sachet 1201 (PAP), M.-H. Sachet 1870 (PAP), M.-H. Sachet 2200 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Mohotani (Mohotane, Mohotane) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 40885) Taxon name on voucher: Emilia fosbergii
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 12066 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 76) Voucher cited: N. Kraus 1646, Fosberg 61105
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: D. Baré 89 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 68) Vouchers cited: Raynal 17866, Fosberg 64878 (US), Fosberg 64882 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 76) Voucher cited: C. Cartier 104
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	University of California (2006) "Grows in disturbed and drier areas".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 2168 (PAP), C.L. Cartier 104 (PAP), C.L. Cartier 231 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg 61027 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 76) Vouchers cited: Fosberg & Sachet, BRY 26450, BRY 26702, BRY 26490, BRY 26687
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3443 (PAP), J. Florence 3451 (PAP), J. Florence 10429 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg & M.-H. Sachet 63180 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 76) Voucher cited: Fosberg & Sachet 63411
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: F.R. Fosberg & M.-H. Sachet 63411 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 76) Voucher cited: Florence et al. 9702
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence , P. Birnbaum & M. Guérin 9702 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg 62653 (PAP); as Emilia coccinea (Sims) D. Don: J. Florence 3662 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg 62698 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg 62974 (PAP), F.R. Fosberg 63809 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tetiaroa Atoll	introduced invasive	Sachet, M.-H./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 53) Voucher cited: Fosberg 63786 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tupai Island	introduced invasive	Sachet, M.-H. (1983) (p. 24) Voucher cited: Sachet 1983 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tupai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Hao (Hau) Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) As Emilia coccinea (Sims) D. Don. Voucher cited: J. Florence 2993 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Niau Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 10120 (PAP), J. Florence 10126 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Rangiroa (Rairoa) Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 10012 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Raro‘ia Atoll	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves/Fourdrigniez, Marie (2008) (p. 13) Adventice d'introduction européene.
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Takapoto Atoll	introduced invasive	Sachet, M-H. (1983) (p. 39) Voucher cited: Sachet 2048 (US)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence & W.R. Sykes 11179 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 42032) Taxon name on voucher: Emilia fosbergii
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
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. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kure Atoll	introduced	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2001) (p. 12) Previously reported, not observed in this survey.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 312) Voucher cited: Garber 93 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 35) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 31186, Fosberg 48046
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R. (1955) (p. 21) Voucher cited: Fosberg 31186 (US)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 287)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 70) Rare or possibly extirpated.
Tuvalu Tuvalu (Ellis) Islands	Tuvalu Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 92)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Ching-I Peng, ed. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Ching-I Peng, ed. 2011. Digital flora of Taiwan (online resource).

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).

Fosberg, F. R. 1955. Northern Marshall Islands Expedition, 1951-1952. Land biota: vascular plants. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 39. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 22 pp.

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./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.

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

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

Meyer, Jean-Yves/Fourdrigniez, Marie. 2008. Rapport de mission sur l'atoll de Raro‘ia (Tuamotu Centre) du 12 au 19 Octobre 2008: Inventaire preliminaire de la flore vasculaire. de l'avifaune terrestre & marine, et recommandations de conservation et de gestion [unpublished report]. Délégation à la Recherche, Ministère de l'Education, l'Enseignement Supérieur et la Recherche, B.P. 20981 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française. 24 pp.

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

Sachet, M-H. 1983. Takapoto Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago: terrestrial vegetation and flora. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 277. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 41 pp. + photos.

Sachet, M.-H. 1983. Botanique de l'ile de Tupai, Iles de la Societe. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 276. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 26 pp. + photos.

Sachet, M.-H./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. An ecological reconnaissance of Tetiaroa Atoll, Society Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 275. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 67 pp. + photos.

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

Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd. 2001. Botanical inventory of Kure Atoll. United States Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawai‘i. 22 pp.

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

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

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

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

Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. 1999. Botanical survey of the United States of America Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Prepared for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the U. S. Army Environmental Center. 111 pp.