Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene, Verbenaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk (based on second screen), score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Lippia nodiflora (L.) Michx.; Lippia repens Spreng.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: capeweed, false thyme, fogfruit, frogfruit, mat grass, mat lippia, phyla, turkey tangle

Spanish: cidrón, pastor, turre hembra

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb, prostrate, creeping, rooting at the nodes.  Leaves simple, opposite or in whorls, blade obovate to oblanceolate, usually 1-4 cm long with the margins of the upper half toothed.  Flowers anytime during the year; flowers many, borne in long-stalked, axillary, subglobose to ovoid head 5-25 mm long.  Corolla with fused petals, salverform, tube about 2 mm long, limb about 2 mm across with four spreading, rounded lobes, white to pink with a yellow or red throat.  Fruit a capsule 1.5-2 mm long, breaking into two segments"  (Whistler, 2000; pp. 359-360).

"Creeping herb, rooting at the nodes, with angled stems; leaves obovate, distally serrate, usually 1-4 cm long, and 0.5-2 cm wide, base decurrent; petiole to about 5-6 mm; peduncle of spike 1-5 (rarely 6-8) cm long; bracts obovate; calyx 1.5 mm; corolla 2 mm long, white or pale violet; fruit about 1.8 mm long" (Stone, 1970; p. 506).

Habitat/ecology:  "It is a fast spreading weed that has a competitive advantage in frequently mowed lawns because of its creeping habit, and can crowd out other low-growing native species" (Whistler & Steele, 1999; p. 71-72).  In Guam, occasional in lawns or waste ground in wet places (Stone, 1970; p. 506). In New Caledonia, "espèce américaine d'introduction ancienne dans le Pacifique Sud-Ouest" (MacKee, 1994; p. 139).

Propagation:  Seed, rooting from nodes.

Native range:  Tropical America

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 59)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 59)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) var. reptans
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) var. reptans
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) var. reptans
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Faraulep (Faraulap) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 236)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 236)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 506) Voucher cited: Stone 3906 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 236)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 26) West Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 000611-1 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Enewetak (Ãnewetak) Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (pp. 71-72)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kili (Kõle) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2006) (p. 12) "Occasional; patches in some grassy areas".
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (pp. 71-72) Vouchers cited: Herbst 8900, Herbst 8974, Herbst 9627, Herbst 9631, Whistler 11167, Whistler 11265
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 13) "Uncommon; small areas in a few lawns".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 132)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced abo. intro.	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 139) Vouchers cited: Cheesman 3324 (BM), MacKee 28287
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	introduced abo. intro.	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 139) Voucher cited: MacKee 25462
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced abo. intro.	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 139) Vouchers cited: Pancher s.n. s.loc., Balansa 521, Grunow s.n. (W), MacKee 4088, Morat 5375
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced abo. intro.	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 139) Vouchers cited: Germain s.n., Virot 953
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	New Guinea Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 236)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 104)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 64) Voucher: Lorence 9736 (BNM, PTBG)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 236)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 106)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 64) Voucher: Lorence 9746 (BNM, PTBG)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 99)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Midway Atoll	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 26) Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 990512-2 (BISH). D. Herbst &ammp; W. Takeuchi 6364 (BISH)

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)	Australia (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (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)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 1275) Cultivation escape.
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Timor-Leste Timor-Leste	East Timor Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (p. 37)
Comoros Comoro Islands	Comoro Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Agalega Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. (1983) (p. 139)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Alphonse Island		Robertson, I. A. D./Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 183) Voucher cited: Robertson 2870 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Coetivy Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 156) Voucher cited: Robertson 3075 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	D'Arros Island		Stoddart, D. R./Coe, M. J./Fosberg, F. R. (1979) (p. 24) Vouchers cited: Gwynne & Wood 1003 (EA), Stoddart 7159 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Marie-Louise Island		Wilson, J. R. (1983) (p. 195)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Platte Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 164) Voucher cited: Robertson 3001 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Poivre Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 174) Voucher cited: Robertson 2378 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

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

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

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

Other Latin names:  Lippia nodiflora (L.) Michx.; Lippia repens Spreng.

References:

Cardenas, Juan/Reys, Carlos E./Doll, Jerry D./Pardo, Fernando. 1972. Tropical weeds; malezas tropicales, vol. 1. International Plant Protection Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 341 pp.

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

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

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. 1983. List of the recorded vascular flora of Agalega. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1993. Flora of Australia. Vol. 50, Oceanic islands 2. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

Robertson, I. A. D./Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. List of plants collected on Alphonse Island, Amirantes. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. List of plants collected on Coetivy Island, Seychelles. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. List of plants collected on Platte Island, Seychelles. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. List of plants of Poivre Island, Seychelles. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. (In press).

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2002. New plant records from the Hawaiian archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2000. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 69:16-27.

Stoddart, D. R./Coe, M. J./Fosberg, F. R. 1979. D'Arros and St. Joseph, Amirante Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 223. The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 48 pp.

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

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

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2006. Plants of Kili Island, Marshall Islands. Unpublished checklist. 12 pp.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2007. Arno plants [preliminary working listing of plant species]. Unpublished checklist, 13 pp.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 2000. Tropical ornamentals: a guide. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 542 pp.

Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. 1999. Botanical survey of the United States of America Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Prepared for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the U. S. Army Environmental Center. 111 pp.

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.

Wilson, J. R. 1983. Ecology of Marie-Louise, Amirantes Islands. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.