Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss., Portulacaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Portulaca fruticosa L.; Portulaca triangularis Jacq.; Talinum crassifolium (Jacq.) Willd.; Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Ceylon-spinach, Philippine-spinach, Surinam-purslane, waterleaf

French: grand pourprier

Spanish: espinaca de Java, espinaca de Surinam, verdolaga blanca, verdolaga de castilla

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect, stout, fleshy perennial herbs 5-10 dm tall.  Leaves elliptic to obovate, 5-15 cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide, apex acute to acuminate, base attenuate.  Flowers in 2-5-branched, racemose inflorescences 3-20 cm long, pedicels ca. 8-11 mm long, bracts subulate, ca. 4-6 mm long; sepals ca. 4-5 mm long; petals yellow (in Hawai‘i) or pink, obovate, up to 10 mm long; stamens 15-40.  Capsules pale yellow, ellipsoid, 6-7 mm long.  Seeds ca. 1.2 mm long, the surface smooth, minutely tuberculate near margins"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1076).

Habitat/ecology:  "Annual herbaceous plant, common in plantation crops, roadsides and shaded areas"  (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 261).

Propagation:  Seed  (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 261).

Native range:  Neotropics (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1076).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1076) Voucher cited: K. Nagata 1965 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R. (1995) (p. 25) Voucher cited: Lau 1717 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007) As Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 85) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Talinum fruticosum, please let us know.