Chinese violet | |
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Asystasia gangetica micrantha from Amanzimtoti, South Africa | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Acanthaceae |
Genus: | Asystasia |
Species: | A. gangetica |
Binomial name | |
Asystasia gangetica (L.) T.Anderson | |
Synonyms | |
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Asystasia gangetica is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is commonly known as the Chinese violet, coromandel [2] or creeping foxglove. [3] In South Africa this plant may simply be called asystasia. [4]
This plant is a spreading herb or groundcover, reaching 600 mm in height [3] [4] or up to 1 m if supported. [5] The stems root easily at the nodes. [3] The leaves are simple [3] and opposite. [5] The fruit is an explosive capsule which starts out green in colour, but dries to brown after opening. [5]
Widespread throughout the Old World Tropics, and introduced into tropical Americas [6] and Hawaii, where it has become naturalized. [2] Both subspecies of this plant have been introduced to Australia where A. g. micrantha is on the National Environmental Alert List and must be reported when found. [5] The original range of the subspecies is unclear, [5] but it is likely that A. g. gangetica was limited to Asia, and A. g. micrantha was limited to Africa. [3]
Ernest Akamine (1947) [7] found that there were no apparent dormancy mechanisms operating in the seeds, which germinated freely 135 days after being expelled from parent plants. Flower production can begin as early as 40 days after germination, with seed development beginning after 57 days, facilitating the production of viable seed in as little as 72 days. [8] The seeds are then expelled explosively upon ripening via hooked retinacula (pictured).
In some parts of Africa, the leaves are eaten as a vegetable and used as an herbal remedy in traditional African medicine. [9] The leaves are used in many parts of Nigeria as a traditional African medicine for the management of asthma. [10] It is also used as an ornamental plant. [3]
This is an important plant for honeybees, butterflies and other insects. [3] [4] In southern Africa there are at least seven species of butterfly and moth that use A. g. micrantha as a larval foodplant; Junonia oenone , Junonia hierta , Junonia natalica , Junonia terea , Protogoniomorpha parhassus , Hypolimnas misippus [11] and Microplexia costimaculalis . [12] The vigorous growth of A. g. micrantha in tropical regions [3] makes it a weed which can smother certain indigenous vegetation where it has been introduced. [5]
Onopordum acanthium is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Europe and Western Asia from the Iberian Peninsula east to Kazakhstan, and north to central Scandinavia, and widely naturalised elsewhere, with especially large populations present in the United States and Australia. It is a vigorous biennial plant with coarse, spiny leaves and conspicuous spiny-winged stems.
Cirsium vulgare, the spear thistle, bull thistle, or common thistle, is a species of the Asteraceae genus Cirsium, native throughout most of Europe, Western Asia, and northwestern Africa. It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is an invasive weed in some areas. It is the national flower of Scotland.
Tribulus terrestris is an annual plant in the caltrop family (Zygophyllaceae) widely distributed around the world. It is adapted to thrive in dry climate locations in which few other plants can survive.
Cryptostegia grandiflora, commonly known as rubber vine, is a woody-perennial vine that is native to south-west Madagascar. It is also a significant weed in northern Australia, sometimes regarded as the worst weed in all of Australia. It has also been introduced to most other tropical and subtropical regions by man, because of its attractive flowers and the fact that its latex contains commercial quality rubber. It is now naturalised in the Caribbean, East Africa, Mauritius, India, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Latin America, the southern United States, Fiji and New Caledonia. It is very similar to the purple rubber vine, which is also native to Madagascar.
Striga, commonly known as witchweed, is a genus of parasitic plants that occur naturally in parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is currently classified in the family Orobanchaceae, although older classifications place it in the Scrophulariaceae. Some species are serious pathogens of cereal crops, with the greatest effects being in savanna agriculture in Africa. It also causes considerable crop losses in other regions, including other tropical and subtropical crops in its native range and in the Americas. The generic name derives from Latin strī̆ga, "witch".
Ruellia is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias. They are not closely related to petunias (Petunia) although both genera belong to the same euasterid clade. The genus was named in honor of Jean Ruelle (1474–1537), herbalist and physician to Francis I of France and translator of several works of Dioscorides.
Mimosa pigra, commonly known as the giant sensitive tree, is a species of plant of the genus Mimosa, in the family Fabaceae.
Chromolaena odorata is a tropical and subtropical species of flowering shrub in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the Americas, from Florida and Texas in the United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to South America. It has been introduced to tropical Asia, West Africa, and parts of Australia.
Cucurbita foetidissima is a tuberous xerophytic plant found in the central and southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has numerous common names, including: buffalo gourd, calabazilla, chilicote, coyote gourd, fetid gourd, fetid wild pumpkin, Missouri gourd, prairie gourd, stinking gourd, wild gourd, and wild pumpkin. The type specimen was collected from Mexico by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland sometime before 1817. In Latin, foetidissima means ill smelling.
Veronica arvensis, common names: wall speedwell, corn speedwell, common speedwell, rock speedwell, field speedwell, is an annual flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. The species is native to Europe and a common weed in gardens, pastures, waste places, and cultivated land.
Emilia sonchifolia, also known as lilac tasselflower or cupid's shaving brush, is a tropical flowering species of tasselflower in the sunflower family. It is widespread in tropical regions around the world, apparently native to Asia and naturalized in Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Junonia oenone, the blue pansy or dark blue pansy, is a Nymphalid butterfly native to Africa. "Blue pansy" is also used in India to describe Junonia orithya.
Macaranga tanarius is a plant found in South East Asia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, South China, Taiwan, and eastern Australia. It is commonly seen as a pioneer species in disturbed rainforest areas. Easily recognised for the round veiny leaves. In Australia it naturally occurs from the Richmond River, New South Wales to Cooktown in tropical Queensland.
Sclerocroton integerrimus, the duiker berry, is a tree in the family Euphorbiaceae, from Southern Africa.
Junonia terea, the soldier pansy or soldier commodore, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773. It is found in the Afrotropical realm.
Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl or common mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.
Asystasia alba is a species of tropical herb in the family Acanthaceae. It is endemic to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the north-eastern Indian Ocean. Its specific epithet comes from the Latin alba (white), referring to the colour of its flowers.
Junonia orithya is a nymphalid butterfly with many subspecies occurring from Africa, through southern and south-eastern Asia, and in Australia. In India, its common English name is the blue pansy, but in southern Africa it is known as the eyed pansy as the name blue pansy refers to Junonia oenone. In Australia, this butterfly is known as the blue argus, but this name also is used for the Aricia anteros in Europe.
Centrosema brasilianum belongs to the dicot class with a variety of names such as Clitoria brasiliana, and many more. It is a member of the family Fabaceae. This species in mainly found in South American nations such as Brazil, Guyana, and Bolivia.
Neustanthus is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the pea family Fabaceae and its tribe Phaseoleae. The only species is Neustanthus phaseoloides, called tropical kudzu. This species is a forage crop and cover crop used in the tropics. It is known as puero in Australia and tropical kudzu in most tropical regions.