Salvia coccinea Juss. ex Murray, Lamiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: crimson sage, red sage, red salvia, scarlet sage, Texas sage, tropical sage, wild salvia

French: sauge du Texas, toc Maria

Hawaiian: līlīlehua

Maori (Cook Islands): titānia

Niuean: momili

Tongan: te‘ekosi

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial subligneous herb to 1.5 m high, the branchlets shaggy-hirsute to hispid, usually eglandular; leaves petiolate, the petioles slender, 0.5-2 (-6) cm long, the blades ovate-deltoid, 2.5-4 (-6) x 1.5-3 (-5) cm, truncate to cordate and then abruptly attenuate at base, acute to obtuse at apex, shallowly crenate to serrate at margin, glabrous to scaberulous above, more densely pubescent and often glandular-pubescent beneath especially on nerves; verticils 2-10 (-14)-flowered, arranged in terminal racemes, the bracts ovate-lanceolate, to 1 cm long, often long-ciliate on margin, deciduous; pedicels slender, to 8 mm long; calyx dull purple and green, tubular, erect or deflexed from end of pedicel, 7-8 mm long at anthesis, to 10 mm long in fruit, striate, pubescent, the upper lip entire, obtuse, the lower lip 2-toothed, the teeth triangular to ovate, acute; corolla red, 20-25 (-30) mm long, pubescent, without, the tube straight, exserted, the upper lip short, erect, the lower lip 3-lobed, longer than upper lip, stamens inserted in corolla throat, the filaments pink, to 4 mm long, the connectives many times longer; nutlets narrowly ovoid, about 3 mm long, brown, smooth  (Smith, 1991; pp. 242-243).

Habitat/ecology:  Cultivated and naturalized as a minor weed of waste places in Fiji at elevations from near sea level to about 850 m (Smith, 1991; pp. 242-243).  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in low elevation, dry, disturbed habitats, 50-1,000 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 829).  In Niue, "a very common adventive that now grows over most of Niue in waste places and plantations" (Sykes, 1970; p. 105). In Tonga, "rather widespread as a weed in waste areas" (Yuncker, 1959; p. 235). In New Caledonia, "peu cultivé aujourd'hui mais répandu et parfois commun à l'état spontané" (MacKee, 1994; p. 70).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical America but widespread in cultivation and naturalized (Smith, 1991; pp. 242-243).

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	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 207)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 20) "Originally an escape from gardens, but now a common and very widespread weed". Vouchers cited: J. Pickard 1204 (K, NSW), P.S. Green 2030 (K)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) "Originally an escape from gardens, but now a common and very widespread weed". Vouchers cited: G. Uhe 1158 (K); 1902, J.H. Maiden & J.L. Boorman (K, NSW)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 242-243) Voucher cited: DA 2938
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 242-243) Voucher cited: DA 16894
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 242-243) Vouchers cited: Gibbs 761, DA 11418, DA 16450
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 131) Voucher cited: Moore 700
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 829-830)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 40) Voucher cited: T. Flynn et al. 3176 (PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 829-830)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 829-830)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 829-830)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 829-830)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Loyauté (Loyalty Islands)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: Toutain 3634 (NOU)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: Sarasin 509 (Z)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: MacKee 18873
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Tiga	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: MacKee 45853
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Baaba	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: MacKee 23221
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Vouchers cited: Balansa 2165, Grunow s.n. (W), MacKee 15518
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: Buchholz 1669
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 105) Vouchers cited: CHR 169927, CHR 169928, CHR 169929
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 21)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. (1997) (p. 37)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (pp. 103-104) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9640 (BISH), Yuncker 9641 (BISH) "Naturalized and common as a roadside weed".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 10) Escaping from cultivation.
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 235) Cited: Crosby.

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)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 319)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	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)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 319)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Perú Perú	Perú (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
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé/±envahissant"

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

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

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

References:

Haselwood, E. L./Motter, G. G. 1983. Handbook of Hawaiian Weeds. Second edition, revised and expanded by Robert T. Hirano. University of Hawaii Press. 491 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. 1995. Contributions to the flora of Hawai‘i. III. New additions, range extensions, and rediscoveries of flowering plants. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1994. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 41:19-58.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

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

McCormack, Gerald. 2008. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Pickard, J. 1984. Exotic plants on Lord Howe Island: Distribution in space and time, 1853-1981. J. of Biogeography 11:181-208.

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./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.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

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

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

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

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).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

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./Atherton, J. 1997. Botanical survey of the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Niue. Unpublished technical report. 76 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

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