Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Pseuderanthemum bicolor
(Schrank) Radlk., Acanthaceae
No images for this taxon


Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bicolor false eranthemum, shooting star

Kwara‘ae: ofenga ai, rongronglua

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrub, 1-2 m high, cultivated from near sea level to about 200 m; petioles 2-10 mm long; leaf blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 4-11 x 1.5-4 cm, usually about 3 times longer than broad, attenuate at base, obtuse or obtusely attenuate at apex, reddish to dark purple in color on both surfaces; corolla tube 18-25 mm long, white at base, pale purple or pink distally, the lobes 10-15 mm long, pale purple- or pink-mottled within proximally" (Smith, 1991; pp. 133-134).

Habitat/ecology:  "Moist but well-drained soils in partially shaded places are preferred" (Whistler, 2000; p. 386).

Propagation:  Vegetatively?  "Fruit does not seem to form readily (if at all) in Hawaii"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 90).

Native range:  "Presumably Malesia, but now cultivated in other Pacific areas and probably elsewhere" (Smith, 1991; pp. 133-134); Philippines; naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

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
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 133-134)
Vouchers cited: Smith 7079, DA 16452, DA 16220, DA 12289
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
cultivated
Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 535)
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 259)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands introduced
cultivated
Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 90)
Kiribati
Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands
Tarawa Atoll introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 259)
Marshall Islands
Ratak Chain
Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll introduced
cultivated
Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 59)
Nauru
Nauru Island
Nauru Island introduced
cultivated
Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 82)
Voucher cited: Thaman & Manner 27810 (SUVA)
Philippines
Philippine Islands
Philippine Islands native
Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 133-134)
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands introduced
invasive
cultivated
Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 103)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 73)
Cultivated only

Comments:  Reported as possibly an invasive plant in Fiji (Meyer, 2000; p. 92).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Pseuderanthemum bicolor, please let us know.


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 17 JAN 2004 and was last updated on 10 JUL 2008.