Stachys arvensis L., Lamiaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: tian ye shui su

English: staggerweed

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Stems decumbent to ascending, many-branched, 2-6 dm long, hirsute.  Leaves ovate to narrowly ovate, 1-3.5 (-6) cm long, 0.6-2.3 (-3.5) cm wide, hirsute, more densely so along veins on lower surface, margins crenate, apex rounded, base truncate to subcordate, petioles 0-2 (-3.5) cm long.  Flowers usually 3-6 in verticillasters, these arranged in terminal, leafy, spike-like inflorescences; calyx usually tinged purple, campanulate, 5-6 mm long, hirsute, especially along nerves, cleft ca. " its length, the teeth slightly unequal, lanceolate, upper lobes ca. 2.7-2.8 mm long, lower lobe ca. 2.2-2.3 mm long; corolla pink, rose, or blue, 5-7 mm long, upper lip erect, median lobe of lower lip ovate, faintly spotted red near base.  Nutlets black, shiny, muricate, obovoid, ca. 2 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 830-831).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in low elevation, dry, disturbed habitats, 2-1,200 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 830-831).  In Tonga, "rare in disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 21). In New Caledonia, "mauvaise herbe peu commune" (MacKee, 1994; p. 70).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Europe and Asia (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 830-831).

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) "A weed of disturbed ground". Vouchers cited: A.N. Rodd 1432 (K, NSW); J. Pickard 2953 (NSW); 1920, J.L. Boorman (NSW); J.D. McComish 199 (NSW)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) "A weed of disturbed ground". Vouchers cited: P.S. Green 1880 (K); 1898, I. Robinson (NSW)
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 cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 558)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 831) Voucher cited: Mann & Brigham 277 (BISH)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Vouchers cited: Deplanche 360 s.loc., Vieillard 1059, MacKee 13384, MacKee 17595, MacKee 29363, MacKee 37241
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	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 70) Voucher cited: Pancher 597
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (pp. 110-111)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 795) "A weed of gardens, fields, waste places, roadsides, and river beds".
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 11022 (PAP) Adventice
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 21) Rare per Whistler.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 39) Voucher cited: Setchell & Parks 15632

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Weed in waste areas adjacent to cultivated land. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi.
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 188)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 795) "A weed of gardens, fields, waste places, roadsides, and river beds".
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Weed in waste areas adjacent to cultivated land.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Stachys arvensis, please let us know.