Ruellia tuberosa L., Acanthaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: lu li cao

English: Daniel's great gun, bluebell, large bell-flower, minnieroot, popping pod, sheep potato, snapdragon root

French: patate-chandelier, patate-macaque

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb with fusiform tuberous roots, widely branched erect stems to 50 cm tall; leaves mostly basal, finely pubescent.  Petioles alate, 1.5 cm long; blades ovate to oblong, 4-6 x 1.5-2.5 cm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, margin undulate, pubescent.  Cymes dichotomous, few-flowered, bracts narrow; calyx lobes linear, 12-20 mm long, hispid; corolla tube abruptly expanded above, 4-6 cm long, purple, lobes suborbicular, 12-15 mm wide.  Capsule subcylindrical, 1.5 cm long, puberulent; seeds 20 or more per locule, orbicular; 2-2.5 mm in diameter"  (Howard, 1989; pp. 380-381).

"Tough-stemmed herb with opposite leaves, large, lavender, campanulate flowers solitary in the axils, and club-shaped capsules" (Whistler, 1988; p. 6).

Habitat/ecology:  "Occasional as a roadside weed in both Samoas" (Whistler, 1988; p. 6).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Florida (US), Greater Antilles, Mexico, Central and South America (Howard, 1989; pp. 380-381).

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‘a Islands	Ofu Island	introduced	Ragone, Diane/Lorence, David H. (2003) (p. 53)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 34842) Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa L.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island	introduced	Ragone, Diane/Lorence, David H. (2003) (p. 53)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 10502) Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 6)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1992) (voucher ID: PTBG 43370) Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1992) (voucher ID: PTBG 44174) Taxon name on voucher: Ruellia tuberosa
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 9) Vouchers cited: Baumann 7424, MacKee 8036, MacKee 11911 Spontané
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 102)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		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
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Disturbed sites such as roadsides; below 100 m. Naturalized in Yunnan.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 76) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Disturbed sites such as roadsides; below 100 m. Naturalized in Taiwan.
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 313)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves/Lavergne, Christophe (2004) (p. 346)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ruellia tuberosa, please let us know.