Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Ruellia antipoda L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: ni hua mu cao

Japanese: suzume-no-tōgarashi

Palauan: ilemelakel, ulekelakel

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial herbs; stems erect or decumbent, and then usually rooting at lower nodes, 2-3 dm long, branched at base, glabrous. Leaves elliptic to oblanceolate or obovate, 1-2.5 (-5) cm long, 0.6-0.8 (-1) cm wide, glabrous, margins entire to remotely serrate, sessile.  Flowers solitary in the leaf axils or sometimes appearing racemose by reduction of upper leaves, pedicels 2-17 mm long; calyx cleft nearly to base, lobes linear-lanceolate, subequal, 3-5 mm long; corolla pale violet or violet blue to pale blue or white, 8-13 mm long, upper lip entire, lower lip 3-lobed, middle one slightly larger than lateral ones, the tube 3-7 mm long.  Capsules cylindrical, 5-14 mm long.   Seeds oblong to ellipsoid, ca. 0.5 mm long, reticulate" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1242).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "apparently recently naturalized in mesic sites" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1242).  In Fiji, "adventive and sometimes locally frequent in villages, cultivated areas, and along roads and paths from near sea level to about 200 m" (Smith, 1991; pp. 83-84).  In Tonga, "uncommon in wet areas" (Whistler, 1988; p. 36).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  India to Asia and Malesia (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1242). "Tropical and subtropical Asia from India and Ceylon, throughout Malesia, and eastward to northern Australia; apparently adventive further eastward" (Smith, 1991; pp. 83-84). Fosberg et al. (1979; p. 249) list as native in Micronesia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Namoluk (Nómwunuuk) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Namoluk (Nómwunuuk) Atoll		Marshall, Mae/Fosberg, F. R. (1975) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Marshall 82 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Tol Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 24) Voucher cited: Lorence 9430 (PTBG) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1996) (voucher ID: PTBG 24875) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2005) (voucher ID: PTBG 44908) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Kapingamarangi Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 101) Vouchers cited: Glassman 2720 (US), Glassman 2758 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ifalik (Ifaluk) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Lamotrek Atoll		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Woleai Atoll		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 83-84) Vouchers cited: Vaughan 3439, Meebold 16524, DA 11438, DA 11749, DA 11223, DA 7552, Smith 7077, R. Veitch 330
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 525)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1242) Voucher cited: Stemmermann & Luce 7172 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (p. 17) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H80215 (BISH, PTBG)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Ebon (Epoon) Atoll		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kili (Kõle) Atoll		Vander Velde, Nancy (year unknown)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1977) (voucher ID: BNM 898) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda (L.) Alst.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 35)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 249)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1968) (voucher ID: BNM 743) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda (L.) Alst.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1968) (voucher ID: BNM 1347) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda (L.) Alst.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1968) (voucher ID: BNM 1397) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda (L.) Alst.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1978) (voucher ID: BNM 10127) Taxon name on voucher: Lindernia antipoda (L.) Alston
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 59)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 439) As Ilysanthes antipoda. A characteristic rice paddy weed, usually very common.
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 36)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Rice fields, wet grassland; below 1700 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang.
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 246) On margin of forests, along streams, in wet places or farmland.
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	uncertain if introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 55) Weed of uncertain origin
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Rice fields, wet grassland; below 1700 m.
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Lindernia antipoda, please let us know.