Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schultz, Amaranthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Alternanthera nodiflora R. Br.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: dwarf copperleaf, joyweed, sessile joyweed

French: brede emballages, serenti

Hawaiian: palewāwae

Hindi: geluti

Japanese: tsuru-nogeito

Maori (Cook Islands): mata kura

Marquesan: ti

Palauan: okula beluulechad

Samoan: vao sosolo

Tongan: fisi‘i‘ano

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial herbs, stems prostrate, rarely ascending, often rooting at the nodes, 1-10 dm long, villous in lines and transversely at the nodes.  Leaves obovate to broadly elliptic, occasionally linear-lanceolate, 1-15 cm long, 0.3-3 cm wide, glabrous to sparsely villous, petioles 1-5 mm long.  Flowers in sessile spikes, bract and bracteoles shiny white, 0.7-1.5 mm long, glabrous; sepals equal, 2.5-3 mm long, outer ones 1-nerved or indistinctly 3-nerved toward base; stamens 5, 2 sterile.  Utricles 2-2.3 mm long, exceeding the sepals"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p 185).

Habitat/ecology:  "Often found in and near ponds, canals and reservoirs.  It prefers places with constant or periodically high humidity and so may be found in swamps, shallow ditches, and fallow rice fields.  The species may, however, tolerate extremely dry conditions on ditch banks, along roadsides, and in gardens, plantations, and cultivated crops.  It often grows in a mixed association of several other aquatic species"  (Holm et al., 1997; pp. 47-48).

In New Guinea, "a plant of damp places; ditches, wet headlands, roadsides; sometimes a weed of plantations, particularly at altitudes of 1500 m or higher. From near sea level to over 2000 m" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 53); "In open, moist or inundated habitats at 0-2000 m altitude; also occurring as a weed at roadsides and in plantations and gardens"  (Womersley, 1978; p. 20).  In Tonga, "occasional as a waste area weed" (Yuncker, 1959; p. 109). In New Zealand, "usually in wet or damp places, sometimes in waste places in and around towns and cities on comparatively dry ground, occasionally a garden weed" (Webb et al., 1988; p. 101).

Propagation:  Seed, rooting at nodes.

Native range:  Perhaps southern Asia (Smith,1981; pp. 291-292). Widely distributed as a weed.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu&#145a Islands	Ofu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Voucher cited: Garber 1010
American Samoa Manu&#145a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Harris 8, Harris 236, Harris 321, Yuncker 9172, Yuncker 9275, Whistler 1366
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Anon. (1988) (p. 1)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 7)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Northern Mariana Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 28)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 54-56)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2005)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2005)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2005)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2005)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcan Sierra Negra	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Murilo (Mwiriné) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Namoluk (Nómwunuuk) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Namoluk (Nómwunuuk) Atoll		Marshall, Mae/Fosberg, F. R. (1975) (p. 34) Voucher cited: Marshall 95 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Puluwat (Pwonowót) Atoll	native	Manner, H. I./Mallon, E. (1989) (p. 45) Voucher cited: Manner & Mallon 134 (GUAM)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Uman Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2005) (p. 11) Voucher cited: Lorence 7877 (PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. (2002) (p. 62)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Kapingamarangi Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 57) Voucher cited: Glassman 2578 (US), Glassman 2724 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Faraulep Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ifalik (Ifaluk) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ngau Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 291-292) Voucher cited: Smith 7997
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 291-292) Voucher cited: DA 11521
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 291-292) Vouchers cited: Smith 6662, Greenwood 95A, DA 8951
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 291-292) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 95, Gibbs 688, Degener 15216, Smith 9504, Smith 9067, DA 11007, DA 11582, DA 9585, Gillespie 3543a, Smith 7085, Greenwood 1141
French Polynesia Clipperton Island	Clipperton (Arue, Avera) Island		Welsh, S. L. (1998)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 54-56)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 54-56)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 54-56)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 26) Voucher cited: BRY 26492
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 26) Voucher cited: Florence 2634
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 54-56)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Niau Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 54-56)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 185)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 21) Vouchers cited: L. Hume 362 (BISH, PTBG), D. Lorence & T. Flynn 5206 (BISH, PTBG), W.L. Wagner 5623 (BISH, US), L. Hume 7 (PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 185)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 185)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 185)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kili (Kõle) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2006) (p. 5)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 60)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced invasive	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 84) Voucher cited: Hassall 188 (SUVA)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 11) Vouchers cited: Vieillard 1064, Balansa 1025, MacKee 18113
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 68)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 59)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Womersley, John S., ed. (1978) (p. 20)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 45)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 2) Voucher cited: Soakai? 389, Soakai? 981 (EI)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 2) Vouchers cited: Ilolahi 126, Soakai
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 108-109) Voyucher cited: Hürlimann 299
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 108-109) Voyucher cited: Yuncker 16043
Tuvalu Tuvalu (Ellis) Islands	Nui Atoll		Woodroffe, C. D. (1985) (p. 11) Voucher cited: Woodroffe 150 (CHR)
Tuvalu Tuvalu (Ellis) Islands	Tuvalu Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 88)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6)

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		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 45)
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 45)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 45)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 45)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 45)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 101)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 45)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 63, 76)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2006)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 103) Possibly naturalized.
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (pp. 45, 49)

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

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

References:

Anon. 1988. Weed list for American Samoa by cropping system. Checklist dated 07/13/88, origin unknown. 3 pp.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Florence, J. 2004. Flore de la Polynésie française, Vol. 2. Paris. IRE Editions, Publications Scientifiques, Collection Faune et Flore Tropicales 41. 503 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Otobed, D./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L./Powell, D. A./Canfield, J. E. 1980. Vascular plants of Palau with vernacular names. Department of Botany, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 43 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution. John Wiley & Sons. 1129 pp.

Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. 2002. Invasive/weedy angiosperms in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. In: Invasive species and their management. Micronesica Suppl. 6:61-65.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 2005. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 23 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. 1995. Contributions to the flora of Hawai‘i. III. New additions, range extensions, and rediscoveries of flowering plants. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1994. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 41:19-58.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Manner, H. I./Mallon, E. 1989. An Annotated list of the vascular plants of Pulawat Atoll. Micronesica 22:23-63.

Marshall, Mae/Fosberg, F. R. 1975. The natural history of Namoluk Atoll, eastern Caroline Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 189. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 53 pp + photos.

McCormack, Gerald. 2005. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

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

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2006. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2006. Plants of Kili Island, Marshall Islands. Unpublished checklist. 12 pp.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Waterhouse, D. F. 1993. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.

Waterhouse, D. F. 1997. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture and plantation forestry in the Southern and Western Pacific. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 93 pp.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands: The plants, their Maori names, and their uses. Allertonia 5(4):347-424.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. The weeds of Manu‘a [unpublished checklist]. 18 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Womersley, John S., ed. 1978. Handbooks of the flora of Papua New Guinea, vol. 1. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne. 278 pp.

Woodroffe, C. D. 1985. Vegetation and flora of Nui Atoll, Tuvalu. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 283. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 18 pp. + maps, photos.

Yuncker, T. G. 1945. Plants of the Manua Islands. Bishop Mus. Bull. 184. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 73 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.