Strobilanthes dyeriana Mast., Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Persian-shield, purple strobilanthes

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "A shrub 5-8 feet tall with an open crown of iridescent purple-and-green foliage.  The leaves are 4-8 inches long and 1.75-3 inches wide, the surface quilted and slightly puckered, the veins dark green, and the areas between the veins glowing purple.  The pale violet, 1.5 inch long flowers are produced in erect, terminal spikes and have 4 fertile stamens; they are followed by club-shaped capsules containing 4 seeds"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 95).

Habitat/ecology:  "It thrives only in moist, protected, semi-shady situations"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 95).  In Queensland, Australia, "invades the understorey of rainforest margins and creek lines"  (Queensland Government, 2012).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Myanmar but unknown in wild; cultivated (GRIN).

Presence:

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)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Queensland, Australia, Government (2012)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 82)

Control:  See Government of Queensland fact sheet.

Additional information:
Fact sheet from the Government of Queensland, Australia.

Additional online information about Strobilanthes dyeriana is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

Queensland, Australia, Government. 2012. Weeds (online resource).

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.