Merremia dissecta (Jacq.) H.Hallier, Convolvulaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Convolvulus dissectus Jacq.; Ipomoea dissecta (Jacq.) Pursh; Ipomoea sinuata Ortega

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: duo lie yu huang cao

English: noon-flower, noyau vine, white convolvulus creeper

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Herbaceous vine..., the stems hirsute with yellow-brown hairs; petioles 2.5-7 cm long; leaf blades suborbicular in outline, 5-20 cm in diameter, palmately divided nearly to base, the lobes 5-9, sinuate to sinuate-dentate; sepals unequal, the 3 outer ones ovate-lanceolate, 15-25 mm long, enlarged and coriaceous in fruit; corolla broadly campanulate, 3-4.5 cm long, white with a purple center; fruit depressed-globose, 1-2 cm in diameter, partially surrounded by the accrescent calyx, the seeds black, subrounded, glabrous." (Smith, 1991; p. 48).

Habitat/ecology:  "Naturalised in many tropical regions on disturbed areas associated with settlements and on roadsides" (Smith, 2002; p. 51). In Fiji, "perhaps still cultivated or naturalized near sea level" (Smith, 1991; p. 48).

Propagation:  "Shattering capsules disperse seeds around the parent plant. Plants spread by rooting at nodes and fragmentation. Main spread has been intentionally as an ornamental creeper." (Smith, 2002; p. 51).

Native range:  "Florida and the West Indies to Argentina and Uruguay; introduced elsewhere and sometimes naturalized" (Smith, 1991; p. 48).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 48)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		University of California (2006)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. edentata (C.D. Meisner) C.A. O'Donell Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (pp. 86-87) Voucher cited: BRY 26540
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (pp. 86-87) Voucher cited: Setchell & Parks 148
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 10703 (PAP) Ornementale assez rare à Tahiti, ici traitée en palissade. Tend à se naturaliser.
Kiribati Line Islands	Tabuaeran (Fanning) Atoll	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1985) (p. 29) Present in garden.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1921) (voucher ID: PTBG 45938) Taxon name on voucher: Merremia dissecta
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands	introduced	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 48)
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands	introduced	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 48)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuafo‘ou Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 224) Voucher cited: Yuncker 16001

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)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (p. 51)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (p. 51)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Cultivated and escaped. Guangdong.
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 224)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 31) "Climbing in scrub at top of seaward beach". Voucher cited: Fosberg 36839 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Texas
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Merremia dissecta, please let us know.