Liriope spicata (Thunberg) Loureiro, Liliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7.5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: creeping lilyturf, creeping liriope

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Grasslike herb; rootstocks jointed, shallow-growing, small tubers sometimes present.  Leaves tufted, flexuous, to 17 inches long, 0.25 inches wide.  Inflorescence usually shorter than leaves, scape slender; bracts short, papery.  Flowers 20-36, sessile, in loose, open spike of 5-9 whorls, each with 2-4 flowers, corollas white to pale purple" (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 690).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed?

Native range:  China, Korea and Japan (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 690). Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Japan (GRIN).

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	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 690)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

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

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

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

References:

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

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