Code
ALRRE
Growth form
broadleaf
Biological cycle
perennial
Habitat
terrestrial
synonym | Achyranthes linearifolia Sw. ex Wikstr. |
synonym | Achyranthes sessilis (L.) Besser |
synonym | Achyranthes triandra Roxb. |
synonym | Achyranthes villosa Blanco |
synonym | Allaganthera forsskaolei Mart. |
synonym | Alternanthera achyrantha (L.) R. Br. ex Sweet |
synonym | Alternanthera achyrantha var. leiantha Seub. |
synonym | Alternanthera achyranthes Forssk. |
synonym | Alternanthera achyranthoides Hiern |
synonym | Alternanthera angustifolia R.Br. |
synonym | Alternanthera angustifolia var. lanata Benth. |
synonym | Alternanthera angustifolia var. macrocephala Domin |
synonym | Alternanthera angustifolia var. typica Domin |
synonym | Alternanthera denticulata R.Br. |
synonym | Alternanthera denticulata var. major Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera denticulata var. micrantha Benth. |
synonym | Alternanthera denticulata var. uliginosa Domin |
synonym | Alternanthera dubia Moq. [Illegitimate] |
synonym | Alternanthera ficoides P.Beauv. |
synonym | Alternanthera ficoides var. minor P.Beauv. |
synonym | Alternanthera ficoides var. versicolor Lem. |
synonym | Alternanthera glabra Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera lorentzii Uline |
synonym | Alternanthera major (Benth.) Domin |
synonym | Alternanthera micrantha (Benth.) Domin [Illegitimate] |
synonym | Alternanthera nana R.Br. |
synonym | Alternanthera nana var. major Benth. |
synonym | Alternanthera nodiflora R.Br. |
synonym | Alternanthera nodiflora var. lanceolata Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera nodiflora var. linearifolia Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera polygonoides (L.) R.Br. ex Sweet |
synonym | Alternanthera prostrata D.Don |
synonym | Alternanthera repens (L.) J. F. Gmel. |
synonym | Alternanthera repens J.F.Gmel. |
synonym | Alternanthera sennii Mattei |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis f. lanceolata Kuntze |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis f. spathulifolia Kuntze |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. angustifolia Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. denticulata (R.Br.) Kuntze |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. major Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. neglecta Kuntze |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. nodiflora (R.Br.) Kuntze |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. parviflora Kuntze |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. stauntonii Moq. |
synonym | Alternanthera sessilis var. tenuissima (Suess.) Backer |
synonym | Alternanthera sibirica (De Vest ex Roem. & Schult.) Steud. |
synonym | Alternanthera tenella Moq. [Illegitimate] |
synonym | Alternanthera tenuissima Suess. |
synonym | Alternanthera triandra Lam. [Illegitimate] |
synonym | Alternanthera triandra var. denticulata (R.Br.) Maiden & Betche |
synonym | Alternanthera triandra var. nodiflora (R.Br.) Maiden & Betche |
synonym | Alternanthera uliginosa (Domin) Dinter |
synonym | Gomphrena brasiliensis Moq. [Invalid] |
synonym | Gomphrena polygonoides L. |
synonym | Gomphrena sessilis L. |
synonym | Illecebrum angustifolium Spreng. |
synonym | Illecebrum denticulatum Spreng. |
synonym | Illecebrum glabrum Spreng. ex Moq. |
synonym | Illecebrum indicum Houtt. |
synonym | Illecebrum nanum Spreng. |
synonym | Illecebrum sessile (L.) L. |
synonym | Illecebrum sibiricum Vent. ex Schult. |
synonym | Illecebrum triandrum Buch.-Ham. ex Moq. |
synonym | Paronychia dubia Moq. |
synonym | Paronychia sessilis (L.) Desf. |
synonym | Paronychia tetragona Moench |
synonym | Steiremis sessilifolia Raf. |
Chinese |
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Creoles and pidgins, French-based |
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English |
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French |
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Italian |
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Other |
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Portuguese |
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Spanish; Castilian |
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Global description
Alternanthera pungens is a creeping plant which can root at the nodes of the stem in contact with the soil. The stems can reach 60 cm. They are solid. The plant is hairless except for some scattered hairs located on the vein of the upper face of the leaves. Leaves are simple, opposite, often unequal in the same pair, short-stalked, elliptic-ovate to sub-orbicular, attenuate base and apex, margin entire, with prominent veins on the underside. The glomeruli-shaped inflorescences are positioned at the axil of the leaves. The glomeruli are thorny because each flower is framed by 2 spiny bracts. The fruit is a single-seeded utricle, lenticular in shape.
Cotyledons
The elliptic cotyledons, with apex obtuse or rounded in a club, are sessile or more or less petiolate. A midrib is present only in the basal part. Very short epicotyl and hypocotyl seedlings.
First leaves
The first leaves are opposite, sessile, greenish in color. The elliptic limb, attenuated at the base, acute at the apex, has a prominent midrib. The glabrous and smooth seedling is green, often a little purplish.
General habit
Alternanthera pungens is a perennial herbaceous plant very ramified and forming a carpet on the ground.
Underground system
The main pivoting root is well developed. Adventive roots formed at the nodes of the main stem and its branches, well developed also, give this plant a strong ground anchorage.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical, solid, very branched. It can reach up to 60 cm in length for a diameter of 5 mm. The main stem and twigs are striated. They can be hairy and covered with long white hairs, but are most often glabrescent.
Leaf
The leaves are simple, opposite. The two leaves of the same pair are frequently of different size. Leaf blade borne by a short petiole. It is ovate, elliptic to suborbicular, obovate, rhombic, attenuate base often asymmetrical and apex broad wedge extended by a short mucron, measures 1.5 to 4.5 cm in length for 1 to 2.7 in width. The margin is entire. The membranous limb is light green or brownish green. It can take a pink tone on the upper side. The ribs are a little prominent on the upper side. The surface is smooth, glabrous to glabrescent with sparse appressed hairs, mostly present on the veins of the underside, and some scattered hairs on the vein on the upper surface.
Inflorescence
The inflorescence consists of sessile glomeruli in the axil of the leaves. At maturity, they are pale yellow and can reach 1.5 cm in length. Because of their many spiny bracts, these glomeruli are easily attached to human clothing and animal hair, which ensures the transport and spread.
Flower
Each flower is surrounded by two cap-shaped bracts, white or yellow, with serrated margin and acute apex. The perianth is 3 to 5 mm long. It consists of 5 unequal tepals: 2 internal, small, 3 external, 1 small, oblong and acuminate and 2 long, oval-lanceolate ending with a spine. From a short basal tube are 5 stamens and dilated and truncated pseudostamines, shorter than the filet. The anthers are 1.5 mm long. The ovary is quadrangular, topped with a style is very short, wider than long and a stigma.
Fruit
The fruit is a single-seeded utricle 1 to 2 mm in diameter.
Seed
The seed is lenticular, from 0.8 to 1.2 mm in diameter, with 2 convex sides, apex projected next to a small depression which marks the position of the hilum, with a smooth and shiny surface, weakly reticulated. Reddish brown, it is a little darker at the hilum.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Brazil: Alternanthera pungens germinates in the warm season and flowers and fruits from summer to autumn.
Chine : Alternanthera pungens flowers in May and fruits in July.
Mayotte: Alternanthera pungens flowers from October to April and fruits from November to June.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Alternanthera pungens is a prostrate perennial plant that reproduces by seed and cuttings. Spiny inflorescences are scattered by humans and animals by attaching themselves to clothing and fur.
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
A. pungens | A. sessillis | A. philoxeroides | |
Ecology | Dewatered soil | Very moist soil | Humid areas border |
Growth habit of the plant | Creeping | Erect | Erect |
Inflorescence (Insertion) | Sessile | Sessile | Stalked |
Inflorescence (appearance) | Spiny | Non-Spiny | Non-spiny |
Inflorescence(size) | 10 – 15 mm | 5 – 7 mm | 10 – 15 mm |
Alternanthera philoxeroides | Alternanthera pungens | Gomphrena celosioides | |
inflorescence (position) | axillary | axillary | terminal |
inflorescence (insertion) | pedicellate | sessile | sessile |
inflorescence (aspect) | not spinose | spinose | not spinose |
Hairyness of the stem | glabrous | glabrescent | Highly pubescent |
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Alternanthera pungens is found on sand, sandy or clay soils, with medium shade, but it also supports sunshine. It is fond of plowed soils, with a preference for wet soils.
Benin: Alternanthera pungens is found in littoral and fluviolacustrine sandy zones, vertisols in the Sudano-Guinean region, and in the Sudano-Guinean transitional or Sudanese northeastern region.
Brazil: Alternanthera pungens prefers disturbed and moist soils. It occurs on roadsides and paths and on abandoned land.
China: Alternanthera pungens is a ruderal species, present along roadsides.
Madagascar: This species prefers ferruginous soils, ferralitic soils, alluvial soils and vertic soils, which are relatively fertile. It is present in the semi-arid and sub-humid agro-ecological zones of Madagascar at an altitude ranging from 0 to 1200 m. It develops on the edges of paths and bare places around homes. It is a weed of rainfed crops and pastures in the semi-arid and sub-humid zones, sunny places. It is found in cotton and cassava-based cropping systems, semi-intensive with little or no manure.
Mauritius: It is found particularly in sub-humid and humid areas in vacant lots, along roadsides, often in exposed and trampled areas.
Mayotte: This species is not present in the cultures. It is found on the littoral rocks of the islets and xerophilous points. It is also present in the degraded dry stations, on compacted grounds.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Origin
Tropical America
Worldwide distribution
Alternanthera pungens is a widespread species in the southern part of North America, Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Peninsula, India, China, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands. It is also present in Europe.
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Local harmfulness
Benin: Alternanthera pungens is rare but abundant when it is present.
Madagascar: Species recently introduced in the large island and extending into all the semi-arid and sub-humid zones; it has a relatively weak frequency now and is generally not very abundant in the cultures. At the beginning, the sparse trees develop practically unperceived and produce dried fruits which are dispersed during every dry season to quickly form a dense population very difficult to control. A. pungens can be locally abundant in semi-arid dry zone with strong population density. This species is particularly harmful in the relatively overloaded pastures and the edges of the cultures and the ways in dry zone where the fruits prickles obstruct the circulation of the inhabitants and are propagated everywhere by the animals, the man and the wind during the dry season.
Mauritius: Its capacity to form dense covers on the ground can be favorable to it to strongly compete for water and fertilizers with young cultures like sugar cane.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Medicinal: The whole plant of Alternanthera pungens is used against venereal diseases, constipation with colic, diarrhea. Treatment against neuralgia by inhalling the juice of heated leaves. The plant can stimulate lactation.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Global management
Management recommendations for vivacious broadleaf weeds in irrigated and lowland rice in Africa: http://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/26
Chemical management
Alternanthera pungens is slightly susceptible to 2.4-D. except at high doses; formulations containing picloram are more effective
Local management
Madagascar: The control of Alternanthera pungens in cropping systems with cotton or corn in Southwest of Madagascar requires good soil preparation and manual weeding at the right time. Early treatments with herbicides are effective against broadleaf weeds.
Mauritius: It can be easily controlled by herbicides used in sugarcane. It is weeded at young stage in other cultures.
Attributions | Wiktrop |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY_SA |
References |
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Alternanthera%2520pungens
Attributions | |
Contributors | |
Status | UNDER_CREATION |
Licenses | CC_BY |
References |
Root | Root |
Kingdom | Plantae |
Phylum | Tracheophyta |
Class | Magnoliopsida |
Order | Caryophyllales |
Family | Amaranthaceae |
Genus | Alternanthera |
Species | Alternanthera pungens Kunth |