Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter, Convolvulaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso var. ventricosa (Bertero) Austin & Staples

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: alalag

English: paper rose, St. Thomas lidpod

Samoan: pālulu, pālulu

Tongan: fue hina

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Very coarse, extensive, appressed pubescent twiner, stems terete; leaves very large, to 30 cm or more across, orbicular cordate, very shortly acuminate, petioles 15-20 cm long; peduncles stout, to 30 cm long, with compact cymes of up to 7 flowers; bracts conspicuous, orbicular to oval, membranous, concave, pubescent, somewhat persistent, 2.5-4 cm long; sepals orbicular, obtuse, mucronulate, accrescent; corolla white, campanulate or broadly funnel-form, about 5 cm long; stamens strongly included, anthers tightly coiled; capsule globose, about 2.5 cm long; seeds black, glabrous"  (Fosberg and Sachet, 1977; pp. 29-30).

"A large pubescent maritime vine with milky sap; leaves broadly ovate to sub-orbicular, to 2- x 20 cm, on long hirsute petioles; peduncles to 12 cm long; sepals ovate, 3 cm; corolla white, 5-7.5 cm long, capsule with 4 smooth black seeds" (Stone, 1970; p. 496).

"Operculina ventricosa differs from O. turpethum in having its stems terete (rather than short-pilose and often glabrate), its peduncles with more numerous flowers (sometimes as many as 7 rather than 1-3), and its corollas, capsules, and seeds somewhat larger" (Smith, 1991; pp. 45-46).

Habitat/ecology:  "Common in disturbed places, climbing in thickets and covering the ground in great mats; it has only recently become common in Guam... It may have been introduced there from Saipan or Tinian on aircraft at that time."  (Fosberg and Sachet, 1977; pp. 29-30). In New Caledonia, "espèce originaire d'Amérique tropicale mai introduite depuis longtemps dans plusieurs îles du Pacifique Sud; dans notre territoire elle fréquente les plateaux calcaires et les pentes rocheuses serpentineuses où elle s'enroule aux arbres" (Heine, 1984; p. 28).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Suriname and Guadeloupe. Another species, Operculina turpethum, occurs from tropical Africa and Madagascar to southern Asia and Australia and eastward in the Pacific to the Society and Marquesas Islands (Smith, 1991; pp. 45-46).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 37)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 38736) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 667694) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Farallon de Medinilla (Marpi, Medinilla) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 646898) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Farallon de Medinilla (Marpi, Medinilla) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 665442) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Guguan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 58)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1977) (p. 30) Voucher cited: Dickinson & Mersereau 7 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 665415) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 666175) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 38737) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1954) (voucher ID: BISH 571589) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 441691) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 38735) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 38739) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1948) (voucher ID: BISH 140411) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 410825) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 38738) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 140412) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1952) (voucher ID: BISH 140414) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 571588) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 664500) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 664501) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. (1969) (p. 12) Voucher cited: Fosberg 46721 (US)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 496) Vouchers cited: Stone 4911 (GUAM), Stone 5163 (GUAM) Adventive
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 228)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1954) (voucher ID: BISH 38740) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 437075) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter
New Caledonia Récifs D'Entrecasteaux (D'Entrecasteaux Reefs)	Île Surprise	introduced invasive	Heine, Heino (1984) (p. 28) Voucher cited: Blanchon 429
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Walpole	introduced invasive	Heine, Heino (1984) (p. 28) Vouhcer cited: Hmakone & Sam in MacKee 25862
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Walpole	native	Renevier, Alain/Cherrier, Jean-Francois (1991) (p. 16) Voucher cited: Cherrier in MacKee 44069
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Heine, Heino (1984) (p. 28) Vouchers cited: Balansa 544, MacKee 37083
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Heine, Heino (1984) (p. 28) Voucher cited: MacKee 13116
Niue Niue	Niue Island	native	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 74) As O. turpethum. Voucher cited: 169783.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	native invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 15) As O. turpethum
Niue Niue	Niue Island	uncertain if native invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 16)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1989) (voucher ID: PTBG 3016) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1989) (voucher ID: PTBG 3018) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘ano Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 73)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Whistler 6622
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Tofua Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Vouchers cited: Scarth-Johnson 30, Buelow 577
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 61)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Drake, D. R./Whistler, W. A./Motley, T. J./Imada, C. T. (1996)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Vouchers cited: Hotta 5473, Whistler 7190, Whistler 7196, Whistler 7398
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Soakai 576?
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuafo‘ou Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Whistler 6639?
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuatoputapu Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Vouchers cited: Buelow 1083, Whistler 6189
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Tafahi Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Whistler 6235
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Vouchers cited: Crosby 124, crosby 183, Buelow 855
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 34292) Taxon name on voucher: Operculina ventricosa (Bert.) Peter

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

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 38738 (Fosberg, F.R. 24812).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 38739 (Fosberg, F.R. 25215).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 140412 (Hosaka, E.Y. 2857).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 571588 (Fosberg, F.R. 24812).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1948. Voucher specimen #BISH 140411 (Lange, W.H. 35).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 38735 (Fosberg, F.R. 31273).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 38736 (Fosberg, F.R. 31722).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 38737 (Fosberg, F.R. 31383).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1952. Voucher specimen #BISH 140414 (Kondo, Y. 9).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1954. Voucher specimen #BISH 38740 (Fosberg, F.R. 35384).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1954. Voucher specimen #BISH 571589 (Bonham, L.D. 2).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1966. Voucher specimen #BISH 410825 (Evans, M. 2337).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1973. Voucher specimen #BISH 441691 (Sachet, M.-H. 1766).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1977. Voucher specimen #BISH 437075 (Tsutsui, R. 6).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 665415 (Herbst, D.R. 7377).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 665442 (Herbst, D.R. 7525).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 666175 (Herbst, D.R. 7345).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 667694 (Herbst, D.R. 7434).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 664500 (Sykes, W.R. 474762).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 664501 (Sykes, W.R. 474581).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1996. Voucher specimen #BISH 646898 (Whistler, W.A. 10304).

Drake, D. R./Whistler, W. A./Motley, T. J./Imada, C. T. 1996. Rain forest vegetation of ‘Eua Island, Kingdom of Tonga. New Zealand Journal of Botany 34:65-77.

Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. 1969. A collection of plants from Fais, Caroline Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 133. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 15 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1977. Additional records of vascular plants from the northern Mariana Islands. Micronesica 13: 27-31.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1977. Flora of Micronesia. Part 3. Convolvulaceae. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 36: 1-34.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Heine, Heino. 1984. 13. Convolvulacées. In: Morat, Ph.. et H. S. MacKee. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et Dépendances. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2001. Voucher specimen #PTBG34292(Tim Flynn 6848).

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

Renevier, Alain/Cherrier, Jean-Francois. 1991. Flore et vegetation de l'Ile de Walpole. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 351. 21 pp.

Smith, Albert C. 1991. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 5. 626 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Sykes, Bill. 0. Bill Sykes, pers. com.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1991. The ethnobotany of Tonga: The plants, their Tongan names, and their uses. Bishop Museum Bulletin in Botany 2. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 155 pp. ISBN 0-930897-57-9.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1995. Wayside Plants of the Islands. Isle Botanica, Honolulu. 202 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.