Modiola caroliniana (L.) G. Don f. (S-Am.) – A very rare and ephemeral alien. Recorded in 1893 on cultivated land in Abée-Scry (Lawalrée 1950) and in 1906 on waste ground in Antwerp. In both these sites its vector of introduction is obscure. In 2015 discovered on a demolition site in Ghent, along with other interesting alien plants like Hibiscus trionum, Malva nicaeensis, Medicago monspeliaca, Solanum sisymbriifolium, etc. Probably all are associated with birdseed. Scattered individuals of Modiola caroliniana were seen on dredging sludge of river Schelde in Bilzen, along with numerous other exceptional aliens such as Desmanthus spec., Dichondra micrantha, Ipomoea div. sp. (incl. I. coccinea), Pelargonium candicans, Sesbania exaltata, Sida div. sp., Solanum sisymbriifolium, etc. The provenance of these aliens is obscure.
Modiola caroliniana is a very characteristic species with brick-red petals and long creeping stems. It is an increasing weed in parts of southern Europe, for instance in lawns in Portugal.
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Selected literature:
Cuadrado G.A. (2003) Palinologia de los generos Modiola, Modiolastrum y Tropidococcus (Malvaceae). Bonplandia 12(1-4): 67-82. [available online at: http://ibone.unne.edu.ar/objetos/uploads/documentos/bonplandia/public/12...
Jiménez Reyes M.N. (2004) Morfología de los granos de polen de la familia Malvaceae de Jalisco, México. 4. Malachra, Malva, Malvastrum, Malvaviscus, Malvella, Modiola, Neobrittonia y Pavonia. Ibugana 11(1): 17-42. [available online at: http://ibugana.cucba.udg.mx/pdf/ibugana_11(1).pdf]
Khushk M.T. & Vaughan J.G. (1986) Seed structure in relation to the taxonomy of the Abutileae (Abutilon, Anoda, Modiola, Sida, Sphaeralcea and Urocarpidium). Pakistan J. Bot. 18(1): 103-114.
Lawalrée A. (1950) Notice sur des phanérogames adventices en Belgique. Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belg. 83: 43-49.
Mortier J. (1974) Contribution a l'étude embryologique des Abutilinées: Modiola multifida Moench. Bull. Soc. Bot. Nord France 26-27: 55-69.
Raghavendra Rao R. (1984) Modiola caroliniana (L.). G Don (Malvaceae): a new record for India. J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 5(4): 907-908.
Sierra E. (1979) Algunes espècies adventicies i naturalitzades. Collect. Bot. 11(13): 297-300. [available online at: http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/101444/1/algunes_especies_adventi...