Verbena rigida Spreng., Verbenaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: veined verbena, verbena

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Stiff, tufted, rhizomatous or stoloniferous, usually low perennial herbs; stems erect to spreading, forming spreading clumps, 1.5-10 dm long, branched, scabrous or hirsute.  Leaves opposite, rigid, oblong to oblong-lanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, 7.5-10 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, both surfaces scabrous to hispidulous and upper surface also rugose, margins somewhat revolute, coarsely serrate, apex acute, base subcordate and somewhat clasping the stem.  Flowers in short, dense, cylindrical spikes 1-5 cm long, these usually 3 in a decussate arrangement, glandular pubescent throughout, bracts lanceolate or subulate-lanceolate, as long as or up to 2-3 times longer than calyx; calyx red or green, cylindrical, 4-6 mm long, 5-toothed, the teeth subequal; corolla showy, usually purple to magenta, ca. 9-12 mm long" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1325-1326).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "apparently cultivated and escaped or perhaps naturalized on the Parker Ranch near Waimea" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1325-1326).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Central Brazil to northern Argentina, widely cultivated and naturalized (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1325-1326).

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) (pp. 1325-1326) Uncommon per Wagner et al.. Vouchers cited: Ewart III 193, Hosaka 2247, Stemmermann et al. 7136 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2008) (p. 10) Voucher cited: OISC s.n. (BISH 727460). Plants removed by O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee.
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Loyauté (Loyalty Islands)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 140) Voucher cited: Hoff 1303 (NOU)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 98)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 140) Vouchers cited: Franc 2114, Däniker 7a, MacKee 5680, Glanchon 1641, Suprin 1019 (NOU)
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	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 140) Voucher cited: Toutain 3796 (NOU)

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. 379)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 232)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 188)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 1279) "Cultivation escape around gardens, especially by hedges, on roadsides and waste places, occasionally on arable land".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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	MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. (1991) (pp. 51-61)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Verbena rigida, please let us know.