Ruellia tubersosa L. Family - Acanthaceae Common Names(s) - minnieroot. Synonym(s) - Ruellia picta Lodd. et al.

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=1, n=-1

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

See Append 2

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

2

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y=1, n=0

n

0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

1

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range?

y=-2, ?=-1, n=0

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

y

1

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

1

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

2

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

4.10

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

0

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

y

1

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

8

Notes

Source

1.01

(1)No evidence of domestication that reduces invasive characteristics.

(1) WRA Specialist.

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1) Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Cayman Islands; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Haiti; Jamaica; Martinique; Montserrat; Netherlands Antilles; Puerto Rico; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and Grenadines; Virgin Islands (British); Virgin Islands (U.S.); French Guiana; Guyana; Suriname; Venezuela; Colombia; Peru - Lambayeque, San Martin

(1) http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?32511#syn

2.02

(1) Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Cayman Islands; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Haiti; Jamaica; Martinique; Montserrat; Netherlands Antilles; Puerto Rico; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and Grenadines; Virgin Islands (British); Virgin Islands (U.S.); French Guiana; Guyana; Suriname; Venezuela; Colombia; Peru - Lambayeque, San Martin

(1) http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?32511#syn

2.03

(1) Disturbed sites such as roadsides; below 100 m (2) USDA zones: 9-11.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437. [Accessed 2011 May 2]. (2) Tropilab Inc. available at:http://www.tropilab.com/minnyroot.html [Accessed 2011 May 3]

2.04

(1) Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Cayman Islands; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Haiti; Jamaica; Martinique; Montserrat; Netherlands Antilles; Puerto Rico; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and Grenadines; Virgin Islands (British); Virgin Islands (U.S.); French Guiana; Guyana; Suriname; Venezuela; Colombia; Peru - Lambayeque, San Martin

(1) http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?32511#syn

2.05

(1) Naturalized in the Lesser Antilles; New Caledonia; Samoa; Seychelles.

(1) Meyer, J., Lavergne, C. 2004. Beautes fatales: Acanthaceae species as invasive alien plants on tropical Indo-Pacific Islands. Diversity and Distributions. 10:333-347.

3.01

(1) Naturalized in Taiwan and Yunnan (Hekou) (2) Naturalized in the Lesser Antilles; New Caledonia; Samoa; Seychelles.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437. (2) Meyer, J., Lavergne, C. 2004. Beautes fatales: Acanthaceae species as invasive alien plants on tropical Indo-Pacific Islands. Diversity and Distributions. 10:333-347.

3.02

(1) Ruellia tuberosa is considered an invasive weed in India.

(1) Sudhakar Reddy, C., Bagyanarayana, G., Reddy, K.N. Invasive alien flora of India. National Biological Information Infrastructure, USGS, USA.

3.03

(1) The Global Compendium of weeds lists this species as an agricultural weed, but no literature was available to confirm impacts or costs.

(1) http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/ruellia_tuberosa/ [Accessed 2011 May 5].

3.04

(1) No evidence of being an environmental weed.

(1) http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/ruellia_tuberosa/ [Accessed 2011 May 5].

3.05

(1) Widely sold by nurseries, Ruellia tweediana has escaped cultivation in Florida and is considered as category I invasive species by the Florida Exotic Pest Council. Category I species either actively alter native plant communities through native species displacement, changed community structure of ecological functions or hybridized with natives.

(1) Wilson, S.B., Wilson, P.C., Albano, J.A. 2004. Growth and development of native Ruellia caroliniensis and invasive Ruellia tweediana. Hortscience. 39(5):1015-1019.

4.01

(1) Herbs to 45 cm tall, perennial, erect. Roots with elongate tuberlike swellings. Stems slightly swollen above nodes, almost 4-angled, strigulose on angles. Petiole to 8 mm, glabrous; leaf blade oblong-obovate, 4-8 × 1.5-4.2 cm, both surfaces glabrous, veins abaxially somewhat prominent, base cuneate and tapering onto petiole, margin undulate to subentire, apex acute. Inflorescences axillary, lax dichotomous cymes; peduncle to 2.3 cm; bracts oblong-lanceolate, to 3-9 × 1-3 mm; bracteoles linear-oblong, to 1.5 mm. Pedicel 6-10 mm, minutely pilose. Calyx tube to 6 mm, outside tomentose; lobes linear-lanceolate, 0.9-2 cm. Corolla pale blue, 2.2-5.5 cm, outside hirtellous; lobes suborbicular, ca. 1.6 × 1.5 cm. [Accessed 2011 May2].

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

4.02

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

4.03

(1) Not parasitic.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

4.04

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

4.05

(1) The roots of Ruellia tuberosa are used medicinally for rumnants in Trinidad and Tobago.

(1) Lans, C. Creole remedies: case studies of ethnoveterinary medicine in Trinidad and Tobago. Wageneingen University.

4.06

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

4.07

(1) No evidence of toxicity or allergies. (2) In Suriname’s traditional medicine it is used as an anthelmintic, against joint pains and strained muscles; bladder diseases. Also used as an abortifacient, The root is used against kidney diseases and for whooping cough. An infusion is used for cleansing the blood. The root and leaf for alleviating retention of urine. The leaves contain apigenin and luteolin while the seed oil yield myristic, capril and lauric acids.

(1) PubMed Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=ruellia%20tuberosa [Accessed 2011 May 3]. (2) Tropilab Inc. available at:http://www.tropilab.com/minnyroot.html [Accessed 2011 May 3]

4.08

(1) Herbs to 45 cm tall, perennial, erect. Roots with elongate tuberlike swellings. Stems slightly swollen above nodes, almost 4-angled, strigulose on angles. Petiole to 8 mm, glabrous; leaf blade oblong-obovate, 4-8 × 1.5-4.2 cm, both surfaces glabrous, veins abaxially somewhat prominent, base cuneate and tapering onto petiole, margin undulate to subentire, apex acute. Inflorescences axillary, lax dichotomous cymes; peduncle to 2.3 cm; bracts oblong-lanceolate, to 3-9 × 1-3 mm; bracteoles linear-oblong, to 1.5 mm. Pedicel 6-10 mm, minutely pilose. Calyx tube to 6 mm, outside tomentose; lobes linear-lanceolate, 0.9-2 cm. Corolla pale blue, 2.2-5.5 cm, outside hirtellous; lobes suborbicular, ca. 1.6 × 1.5 cm. [Accessed 2011 May2].

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

4.09

(1) Full sun to light shade.

(1) Tropilab Inc. available at:http://www.tropilab.com/minnyroot.html [Accessed 2011 May 3]

4.10

(1) loam, wet soil

(1) Florabase -Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/17890 [Accessed 2011 May3]

4.11

(1) Herbs to 45 cm tall, perennial, erect.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

4.12

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

5.01

(1) Terrestrial.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

5.02

(1) Acanthaceae.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

5.03

(1) Herbs to 45 cm tall, perennial, erect.

(1) www.efloras.org.Ruellia tuberosa Linnaeus. Flora of China vol. 19 p436-437.

5.04

(1) Reproduces by seeds and tubers.

(1) Meyer, J., Lavergne, C. 2004. Beautes fatales: Acanthaceae species as invasive alien plants on tropical Indo-Pacific Islands. Diversity and Distributions. 10:333-347.

6.01

(1) No evidence.

(1) WRA Specialist.

6.02

(1) Reproduces by seeds and tubers.

(1) Meyer, J., Lavergne, C. 2004. Beautes fatales: Acanthaceae species as invasive alien plants on tropical Indo-Pacific Islands. Diversity and Distributions. 10:333-347.

6.03

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

6.04

(1) Two types of flowers produced, i.e. normal flowers and small cleistogamous flowers.

(1) Australian Rainforest Plants - Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Ruellia_tuberosa.htm [accessed 2011 May 3].

6.05

(1) Two types of flowers produced, i.e. normal flowers and small cleistogamous flowers.

(1) Australian Rainforest Plants - Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Ruellia_tuberosa.htm [accessed 2011 May 3].

6.06

(1) Reproduces by seeds and tubers.

(1) Meyer, J., Lavergne, C. 2004. Beautes fatales: Acanthaceae species as invasive alien plants on tropical Indo-Pacific Islands. Diversity and Distributions. 10:333-347.

6.07

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

7.01

(1) "The species occurs in waste places, roadsides, old fields, abandoned gardens, ditches and similar ruderal habitats throughout the Caribbean Islands, Bahamas, to Guyana, northern South America, Central America, and has been introduced into the Old World Tropics."

(1) Long, R.W. 1976. Biosystematics of Ruellia tuberosa L. (Acanthaceae). American Journal of Botany. 63 (7): 951-959.

7.02

(1) Tropilab has seeds and plants for sale.

(1) Tropilab Inc. available at:http://www.tropilab.com/minnyroot.html [Accessed 2011 May 3]

7.03

(1) No evidence of produce contamination.

(1) WRA Specialist.

7.04

(1) Fruits cigar-shaped, calyx persistent at the base, about 18-20 x 3 mm, exploding at maturity. Seeds about 24 per fruit. Each seed about 18-22 x 2-2.5 mm, clothed in hairs. [no adaptation for wind dispersal]

(1) Australian Rainforest Plants - Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Ruellia_tuberosa.htm [accessed 2011 May 3].

7.05

(1) Fruits cigar-shaped, calyx persistent at the base, about 18-20 x 3 mm, exploding at maturity. Seeds about 24 per fruit. Each seed about 18-22 x 2-2.5 mm, clothed in hairs (2) Habitat. Amongst medium trees (in Acacia woodland and in herb fields); in loam, wet soil; occupying margins of salt marshes subject to inundation, close to creek lines, river banks; growing in lawns, on wasteland, on irrigated land, in gardens (unkempt)

(1) Australian Rainforest Plants - Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Ruellia_tuberosa.htm [accessed 2011 May 3]. (2) Florabase -Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/17890 [Accessed 2011 May3].

7.06

(1) Fruit. Dehiscent, a capsule, non-fleshy, 17–32 mm long, 2.4–4 mm wide.

(1) Florabase -Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/17890 [Accessed 2011 May3]

7.07

(1) Fruits cigar-shaped, calyx persistent at the base, about 18-20 x 3 mm, exploding at maturity. Seeds about 24 per fruit. Each seed about 18-22 x 2-2.5 mm, clothed in hairs

(1) Australian Rainforest Plants - Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://keys.trin.org.au:8080/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Ruellia_tuberosa.htm [accessed 2011 May 3].

7.08

(1) Fruit. Dehiscent, a capsule, non-fleshy, 17–32 mm long, 2.4–4 mm wide. [unlikely]

(1) Florabase -Ruellia tuberosa. Available at: http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/17890 [Accessed 2011 May3]

8.01

(1) The plants often occur in large numbers, and apparently its success is due to the large numbers of both cleistogamically and chasmogamically produced seeds that are formed in capsules that explode forcefully at maturity, propelling the seeds for some distance from the parent plant. Seed fertility is high, and numerous seedlings may be found around mature plants in the early summer and fall

(1) Long, R.W. 1976. Biosystematics of Ruellia tuberosa L. (Acanthaceae). American Journal of Botany. 63 (7): 951-959.

8.02

(1) Ruellia tuberosa is a non-dormant seed whose germination is inhibited by light filtered through green leaves.

(1) Bewley, J.D., Black, M. 1994. Seeds: physiology of development and germination (Google eBook). Springer. 445 pages. Available from:  http://books.google.com/books?id=W6EbrewcpDwC&dq=Ruellia+tuberosa+%2B+%22seed+bank%22&source=gbs_navlinks_s

8.03

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

8.04

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.

8.05

(1) Unknown

(1) WRA Specialist.