Heterotheca grandiflora Nutt., Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: telegraph weed

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Aromatic annual or biennial herbs; stems 5-20 dm long, stout and unbranched below the inflorescence, branched in the inflorescence, coarsely hirsute and glandular pubescent above.  Leaves ovate to oblong or oblanceolate, 2-8 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide, densely villous to hirsute, margins coarsely serrate, lower ones on petioles 1-4 cm long, upper ones sessile and often with stipule-like lobes at base.  Heads several to numerous; involucre 7-9 mm high; ray florets 25-35 per head, rays 4-6 mm long; disk corollas ca. 4 mm long; pappus yellowish brown to reddish, the outer series inconspicuous.  Achenes 3-3.5 mm long, inner ones strongly flattened"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 326).

Habitat/ecology:  "In Hawai‘i, "a relatively common weed of dry, disturbed areas, 10-2,270 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 326).  On the Gold Coast of southeast Queensland, Australia, "it has become common along roadsides and tracks on coastal sand dunes" (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 166).

Propagation:  Wind-borne seed (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 166).

Native range:  "California to Arizona and Baja California, Mexico" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 326).

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	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 326)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 326)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 326)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 326)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 326) Voucher cited: Faurie 937 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 326)

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	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 166) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 166) Naturalized
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

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

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

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

References:

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

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).