Watsonia borbonica (Pourr.) Goldblatt, Iridaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Gladiolus pyramidatus Andrews; Watsonia pyramidata (Andrews) Klatt; Watsonia rosea Banks ex Ker Gawl.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bugle-lily, cape bugle-lily, watsonia

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Plants 1.2-2 m tall, with corms 3-4 cm in diameter, covered with coarsely reticulate tunics.  Leaves lanceolate, 40-90 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, margins hyaline and moderately thickened.  Flowers actinomorphic, in nearly straight, erect, branched spikes, bracts green below, brown-membranous above, 10-18 mm long; tepals pink to white, 30-36 mm long, 13-18 mm wide, inner whorl somewhat larger than outer whorl, spreading, perianth tube 20-27 mm long, upper part funnelform, nearly horizontal, 8-12 mm long; filaments 13-18 (-25) mm long, unilateral and either decumbent or arched and lying below upper tepal; anthers 10-13 mm long.  Capsules narrowly ellipsoid, 20-30 mm long, 7-10 mm wide. Seeds 8-10 mm long, winged at both ends"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1449).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawaii, "cultivated and sparingly naturalized"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1449).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  South Africa (southwestern Cape Province) (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011) subsp. borbonica
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 502, 548, 558) Voucher cited: Danton I(5/12)1359. "Es una especie vigorosa de rápida extensión que ya se naturalizó en varias partes del pueblo de San Juan Bautista".
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 39) Voucher cited: D. Lorence et al. 5746 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1449) East Maui. Voucher cited: Boyum s.n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 9) West Maui. Voucher cited: C. R. Annable, H. Oppenheimer & G. Ray 3923 (BISH)

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)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "A locally naturalized garden escape".

Control:  If you know of control methods for Watsonia borbonica, please let us know.