Acalypha indica
Euphorbiaceae
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Axillary inflorescence showing toothed bracts that enclose female flowers
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Male flowers located on upper section of inflorescence
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Developing fruits in bracts
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Abnormal female flower located at tip of inflorescence
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Stems grooved lengthwise
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Alternate arrangement with long petioles
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Leaf strippling by flea bugs cause the leaves to look whitish silver
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A. indica seedlings
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Seed capsule (left), seeds (right)
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About
Euphorbiaceae
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- Axillary inflorescence showing toothed bracts that enclose female flowers
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- Male flowers located on upper section of inflorescence
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- Developing fruits in bracts
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- Abnormal female flower located at tip of inflorescence
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- Stems grooved lengthwise
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- Alternate arrangement with long petioles
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- Leaf strippling by flea bugs cause the leaves to look whitish silver
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- A. indica seedlings
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- Seed capsule (left), seeds (right)
About
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Scientific Name: Acalypha indica Root Word: acalypha = nettle; indica = plants originating from India, East Indies, China Common Name: Acalypha Vernacular: Hierba Del Cancer |
Similar Species: Acalypha lanceolata Willd. Origin: Paleotropical Weed Category: Broadleaves |
Description
Stem: longitudinally grooved, pubescent, base becoming woody Leaves: alternate, simple, ovate; margins serrate; surfaces glabrous; nerves pubescent, 3-5 at base then pinnately arranged, veins prominent on leaf underside; leaf topside dark green, leaf underside pale green; stipules minute; petioles long, pubescent Inflorescence: flowers sessile on erect axillary spikes Flower: apetalous, unisexual; female flowers: on lower inflorescence axis, subtended by a toothed green bract, one abnormal female flower also located distally on a long filament; styles: 3, divided into filiform stigmas; male flowers: minute, crowded distally, stamens 8
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Seed: ovoid, light brown to tan Habitat: waste ground, yards, landscaped areas, facultative upland; tolerates some shade, common on limestone soils, ability to survive arid conditions Propagation: seed; regrowth results if root system not completely removed Uses: herbal, catnip (roots) Fungal Pathogens: Septoria Miscellaneous: toxic |
Alysicarpus vaginalis
Fabaceae
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Inflorescence is an erect raceme
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Standard petal is large with yellow markings at its base
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The wing and keel petal open to expose the reproductive organs
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Leaf size and shape is variable
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About
Fabaceae
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- Inflorescence is an erect raceme
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- Standard petal is large with yellow markings at its base
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- The wing and keel petal open to expose the reproductive organs
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- Leaf size and shape is variable
About
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Scientific Name: Alysicarpus vaginalis Root Word: halysis = chain; carpus = fruited; vaginalis = sheathed Common Name: One Leaf Clover, White Moneywort, Alysicarpus |
Synonym: A. nummularifolius sensu Merrill, Hedysarum vaginale L Origin: Native to tropical America Weed Category: Broadleaves |
Description
Stem: pubescent when young, becoming woody at base Leaves: alternate, unifoliolate (appears simple), leaflet obovate to oblong, lanceolate (sometimes); apex rounded to subretuse (notched slightly); leaflet size and shape variable; margins entire; lower surface with scattered hairs; stipules 2, persistent, papery Inflorescence: terminal or axillary leaf opposed racemes Flower: perfect; calyx: sepals 5, tubular, papery, lanceolate lobed, persistant in fruit; corolla: reddish pink to reddish purple; standard (largest petal): obovate to orbicular with yellow markings, wing (two lateral petals): adherent to incurved keel, keel (2 connate petals): with membranous appendages on each side; stamens: 10, diadelphous (in 2 bundles, upper stamen distinct, the other 9 connate into a tube); pistil: style 1
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Seed: subglobose or ellipsoid; pale brown to yellowish Habitat: lawns, roadsides, disturbed areas, turf, sunny exposed areas, ditches, dry areas, facultative upland; tolerates mowing, grazing and some shading Propagation: seed; regrowth results if root system not completely removed Uses: herbal Fungal Pathogens: Cercospora, Colletotrichum, Gleosporium Miscellaneous: “First recorded from the Pacific Islands (Fiji) in 1900” (Whistler, 1995) |
Amaranthus spinosus
Amaranthaceae
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Arrangement of male and female flowers on terminal inflorescence
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Closeup of male flower
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Closeup of female flower
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Male flower at apex of terminal inflorescence
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Female flowers at base of terminal inflorescene
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Stems often red
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Leaf apex has short, spiny tip
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Leaf apex has short, spiny tip
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Branched inflorescence
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Leaves often damaged by loopers (Hymeria recurvialis)
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Stems show longitudinal lines and paired spines at leaf base
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Seeds (left), enclosed in persistent calyx (right)
About
Amaranthaceae
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- Arrangement of male and female flowers on terminal inflorescence
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- Closeup of male flower
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- Closeup of female flower
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- Male flower at apex of terminal inflorescence
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- Female flowers at base of terminal inflorescene
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- Stems often red
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- Leaf apex has short, spiny tip
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- Leaf apex has short, spiny tip
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- Branched inflorescence
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- Leaves often damaged by loopers (Hymeria recurvialis)
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- Stems show longitudinal lines and paired spines at leaf base
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- Seeds (left), enclosed in persistent calyx (right)
About
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Scientific Name: Amaranthus spinosus Root Word: amarantos = unfading, spinosus = spiny Common Name: Spiny Amaranth, Pigweed Vernacular: Kulites |
Similar Species: Amaranthus viridis L Origin: probably native to tropical America Weed Category: Broadleaves |
Description
Stem: green, brown or red (often), angled or with longitudinal lines; paired axillary spines at nodes; glabrous or pubescent Leaves: alternate, simple, entire, ovate to oblanceolate; apex emarginate (notched), mucronate (short spiny tip); petioles reddish (often); upper surface glabrous, lower surface veins sparsely pilose, conspicuously veined beneath Inflorescence: monoecious; clustered in lower/upper axils and terminal spikes, spikes simple or branched; flowers in lower axils mostly female, flowers in upper third of terminal spike male, in lower two-thirds female Flower: green, minute, unisexual; corolla absent; male flowers: stamens 5 opposite sepals; female flowers: stigmas 2, filiform (slender), subtended by a membranous, persistent bract (translucent) and two similar bracteoles tipped with a pale or reddish awn
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Seed: ovoid, compressed, reddish brown to black, shiny; dispersed by wind or water; 235,000 seeds per plant Habitat: roadsides, lawns, abandoned fields, disturbed areas, forest edges, landscaped areas, facultative upland; tolerates mowing Propagation: seed; viability of 19 years, germinates in both light and dark; regrowth from lower nodes reduces effectiveness of hand/ mechanical weeding if root system and stem not completely removed Uses: herbal, toxic; leaves used as vegetable greens Fungal Pathogens: Cercospora, Colletotrichum, Gleosporium, Phoma Miscellaneous: points of spines break off in skin easily; livestock poisoning, toxic; “First recorded from the Pacific Islands (Hawaii) in 1928” (Whistler, 1995), “in Pacific as of 1954, not specific to Guam, generic to Pacific” (Merrill, 1954); ranks 15th in The Worlds Worst Weeds, Distribution and Biology (Holm et al., 1977) |
Amaranthus viridis
Amaranthaceae
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Inflorescence branched, often tinged red
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Alternate leaf arrangment
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A. viridis seedlings
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Stems are often reddish maroon and striated
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Leaf apex has short spiny tip
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Seed (left), fruit (right)
About
Amaranthaceae
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- Inflorescence branched, often tinged red
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- Alternate leaf arrangment
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- A. viridis seedlings
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- Stems are often reddish maroon and striated
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- Leaf apex has short spiny tip
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- Seed (left), fruit (right)
About
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Scientific Name: Amaranthus viridis Root Word: amarantos = unfading, viridis = green Common Name: Slender Amaranth, Green Amaranth Vernacular: Kulites Apaka |
Synonym: Amaranthus gracilis Desf. ex Poiret Similar Species: Amaranthus spinosus L. Origin: probably native to Old World tropics, early introduction to Pacific Islands Weed Category: Broadleaves |
Description
Stem: green to reddish (often), grooved lengthwise, glabrous or pubescent Leaves: alternate, simple, ovate to rhombic; surfaces glabrous (mostly), lower surfaces pilose along veins (often); margins entire; leaf tip mucronate (short spiny tip); petioles pink (often) Inflorescence: in lower axils compact cymose clusters, in upper axils and terminating plant apex with spike like panicles Flower: green, minute, unisexual, monoecious, both sexes intermixed on spikes with pistillate flowers more numerous; corolla absent; sepals 3-4 subtended by 2 tiny bracteoles, bracts and bracteoles whitish and membranous with short pale or reddish awns; female flowers: style 1, stigmas 2-3; male flowers: stamens 3
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Seed: dark brown to black, shiny, compressed slightly; 230,000-500,000 seeds per large plant, can seed when 1 cm. in height; seed dispersed by wind, water, birds, insects, manure, farm machinery; crop seed contaminant Habitat: disturbed areas, croplands, roadsides, landscaped areas, waste areas, ditch banks, facultative upland, exposed/sunny areas, moist areas; ability to survive arid conditions Propagation: seeds; optimum soil depth of 1 cm.; high moisture results in best responses; variable germination; regrowth from lower nodes reduces the effectiveness of hand, mechanical weeding if root system not completely removed Uses: edible, among oldest food crops of New World, leaves cooked, eaten like spinach; herbal Fungal Pathogens: Colletotrichum Miscellaneous: tree sparrows (Passer montanus) feed on; contains betalain pigment instead of anthocyanins found in most angiosperms; reported to have nodule-like structures on root/stem (unknown microorganisms, possibly nitrogen fixing); illness/death reports as result of Slender Amaranth ingestion (oxalates: sheep, hogs, young calves), toxic; “in Pacific as of 1954, not specific to Guam, generic to Pacific”(Merrill, 1954) |
Antigonon leptopus
Polygonaceae
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Leaves with conspicuous veins
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Alternate leaf arrangement. young leaves red colored
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Pink tepals and yellow reproductive organs in center
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Inflorescence of pink flowers
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Inflorescence of white flowers
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Forms massive root systems
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Swollen tuber-like thickenings of root system
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Coiled axillary tendril
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A. leptopus seedling
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Red stems of seedlings
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Panicle of many small flowers
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Seeds enclosed by persistant tepals
About
Polygonaceae
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- Leaves with conspicuous veins
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- Alternate leaf arrangement. young leaves red colored
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- Pink tepals and yellow reproductive organs in center
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- Inflorescence of pink flowers
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- Inflorescence of white flowers
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- Forms massive root systems
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- Swollen tuber-like thickenings of root system
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- Coiled axillary tendril
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- A. leptopus seedling
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- Red stems of seedlings
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- Panicle of many small flowers
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- Seeds enclosed by persistant tepals
About
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Scientific Name: Antigonon leptopus Root Word: anti = in place of, polygonon = knotweed in reference to affinity to Polygonum (poly=many, gonu=joint) Common Name: Chain of Love, Love vine, Mexican Creeper, Coral Vine Vernacular: Cadena De Amor |
Origin: native of Mexico Weed Category: Vines |
Description
Stem: angled, lower stem reddish brown, thickened Leaves: alternate, angular, ovate, triangular somewhat, heart-shaped; entire; veins conspicuous, puberlent along veins; tendrils branched Inflorescence: racemes, many flowered Flower: perfect; tepals: 5-6, membranous, pink to deep pink or white; stamens: 7-9; styles: 3, stigmas capitate
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Seed: prolific seed producer Habitat: disturbed areas, roadsides, landscaped areas, facultative uplands; climbs high in trees; ability to survive arid conditions Propagation: seed; regrowth from tuber reduces effectiveness of hand/mechanical weeding if tuber not completely removed Uses: edible underground tubers, herbal Fungal Pathogens: Colletotrichum, Pestalotia Miscellaneous: aggressive weed; Invasive Plants of Micronesia List |