Trichodesma zeylanicum (Burm.f.) R.Br., Boraginaceae

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]

English: camel bush

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annual herb 30-60 cm high or more...; leaves short-petiolate or sessile, the blades oblong or lanceolate to linear, usually up to 9 x 3 cm; pedicels hispid; calyx 10-12 mm long, deeply divided into oblong-lanceolate lobes; corolla pale blue, slightly longer than calyx; anthers villose, awned; nutlets ovoid, about 5 mm long, triquetrous on inner surfaces, rugulose, tuberculate"  (Smith, 1991; p. 160).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "sparingly naturalized in vegetable gardens and cultivated fields near sea level" (Smith, 1991; p. 160).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "From eastern tropical Africa to India, Ceylon, western Malesia, and Australia, apparently introduced and naturalizing elsewhere" (Smith, 1991; p. 160).

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	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 160) Voucher cited: DA L.12360 Sparingly naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 160) Voucher cited: DA 11468 Sparingly naturalized.
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	New Guinea Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 378) A weed in cultivated lands, waste places, etc., at low altitudes.

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)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Comoros Comoro Islands	Comoro Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 31)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Fosberg, F. R. 1957. The Maldive Islands, Indian Ocean. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 58. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 37 pp.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 3 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 628 pp.

Smith, Albert C. 1991. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 5. 626 pp.

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

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