Modiola caroliniana (L.) G.Don, Malvaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  yes

Other Latin names:  Malva caroliniana L.; Modiola multifida Moench

Common name(s): [more details]

English: American-mallow, Carolina bristlemallow, Carolina modiola, Carolina-mallow, bristly-fruit mallow, creeping-mallow, red-flower creeping-mallow, red-flower-mallow, wheel-mallow

Spanish: babosilla

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annual herb, procumbent and rooting along stems, sometimes ascending at tips. Stems sparsely to moderately clothed in stellate hairs in younger parts, becoming ± glabrous toward base. Leaves usually ± glabrous above, sparsely to moderately clothed in stellate hairs below, suborbicular to ovate-cordate and acute, (5)-10-40-(50) mm long; leaves of young plants usually shallowly lobed and irregularly crenate; leaves of mature plants often deeply palmately divided into 3-7 pinnatisect lobes; petioles 5-80-(100) mm long; stipules ovate to oblong, 3-8 mm long. Flowers axillary and solitary; fruiting pedicels (5)-10-50-(80) mm long; epicalyx segments oblanceolate, < calyx; calyx teeth sparsely to moderate hairy with simple hairs, ovate-triangular, acute to acuminate, = or > tube, somewhat spreading but not enlarged at fruiting; petals bright orange to reddish orange, usually turning purple when dried, 3-7 mm long. Cells 15-25 per fruit, setaceous, particularly along the ridged back; dorsal apical angles with a short slender awn. Seeds brown, glabrous or clothed in sparse fine hairs, c. 1.5 mm long"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 835).

Description from Flora of Australia.

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in open to slightly shaded, usually moist areas such as pastures and along roadsides, 850-2,100 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 896).  In New Zealand, "waste places, coastal areas, lawns, pastures"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 835).  A common weed of pastures, roadsides, waste places on Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands (Flora of Australia).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Probable origin South America, naturalized throughout the tropics and subtropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 555)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 555)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 896) Voucher cited: Faurie 855 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 896)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Kermadec Islands	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 835)

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	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "Weed of gardens and waste places".
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "Weed of gardens and waste places".
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 186)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 835)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

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., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Modiola caroliniana, please let us know.