Eclipta prostrata , Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, barranco del Guiniguada, November 2012 (Photograph: F. Verloove). 

... Gran Canaria (and probably elsewhere in the Canary Islands as well), Dysphania anthelmintica is the most widespread species of both. It is commonly and often abundantly naturalized in barrancos . In November 2011 and 2012 it was also recorded in barrancos of or near Agaete, Arguineguín, Arucas, Bañaderos, Cambalud, Cardones, El Roque, El Tablero, Fataga, Firgas, Gáldar, Guayadeque, Guía, Jinámar, La Capellanía, La Sorrueda, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Los Dolores, Lujaregos, Marzagán, Maspalomas, Moya, Puerto de Mogán, San Lorenzo, San Nicolás de Tolentino, Santidad, Tamaraceite, Tauro, Tenoya, Teror, Tinocas, Trujillo, etc. Eclipta prostrata (L.) L., Mant. Pl. Altera: 286 (1771) (Fig. 4) (Asteraceae). Spain, Gran Canaria: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Vegueta), barranco del Guiniguada, riverbed, nume- rous plants but only locally, 4.11.2012, F. Verloove 9890 (BR, LPA 30152); Tamaraceite, embalse de Tamaraceite (S of the city), pond margin, 4.11.2011, F. Verloove 9891 (LPA 30151). Origin : America. A common weed in many warm-temperate and (sub-) tropical regions of the world. Two small but apparently well-established populations of Eclipta prostrata were recorded in November 2012. This species grows in damp, ruderalized places. The number of suitable habitats is probably restricted in Gran Canaria, except in the northern parts of the island. There, a future wider naturalization is likely. In Macaronesia, E. prostrata is also known from Madeira (Borges, 2008) and Cape Verde islands [as E. alba (L.) Hassk.; Sánchez- Pinto et al. , 2005]. In the Mediterranean area (like in many warm-temperate regions worldwide) it is an upcoming environmental and agricultural weed, for instance in rice fields. Heliotropium Known Two small distribution curassavicum but apparently in the Canary L., Sp. well-established Pl.: Islands 130 : (1753) never recorded populations (Boraginaceae). before of Eclipta (Acebes prostrata Ginovés et were al. , 2009). recorded in Degree Spain, November Gran of naturalization 2012. Canaria: This species Bahía : naturalized. Feliz grows (Besudo), in damp, ruderalized Playa del Tarajalillo, places. The garden number weed, of suitable close to habitats the sea, is 6.11.2011, probably F. restricted Verloove in 9153 Gran (LPA Canaria, 28379). except in the northern parts of the island. There, a future wider naturalization is likely. In Macaronesia, E. prostrata is also known from Madeira (Borges, 2008) and Cape Verde islands [as E. alba (L.) Hassk.; Sánchez- Pinto et al. , 2005]. In the Mediterranean area (like in many warm-temperate regions worldwide) it is an upcoming environmental and agricultural weed, for instance in rice fields. Heliotropium curassavicum L., Sp. Pl.: 130 (1753) (Boraginaceae). Spain, Gran Canaria: Bahía Feliz (Besudo), Playa del Tarajalillo, garden weed, close to the sea, 6.11.2011, F. Verloove 9153 (LPA 28379). Origin : southern United States to South America. Known distribution in the Canary Islands : known so far from Tenerife and Fuerteventura (Acebes Ginovés et al. , 2009). Degree of naturalization : naturalized. Heliotropium curassavicum is an American weedy species that is widely naturalized in coastal areas in the Mediterranean area. In continental Spain it is most abundant in Levante (see map in Sanz Elorza et al. , 2004 a ). In the Canary Islands it was long restricted to Fuerteventura but recently also occurred in Tenerife (Padrón Mederos et al. , 2007; Verloove & Reyes-Betancort, 2011). In November 2011 it was repeatedly recorded in Gran Canaria as well, apparently for the first time. In addition to the record cited above, H. curassavicum was furthermore seen in San Agustín (Playa Las Burras), Arinaga (plantation weed in Polígono Industrial) and Jinámar (Punta de Jinámar). A future, wider naturalization in coastal habitats in the Canary Islands is feasible. Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet, Hort. Brit.: 481 (1826) (Fig. 5) (Leguminosae). = Dolichos lablab L. Origin Spain, : Gran tropical Canaria: Africa. Las Palmas Widely de cultivated Gran Canaria as a legume (Vegueta), or barranco ornamental del in Guiniguada, the warm-temperate dry riverbed, and (sub-) locally tropical invasive, regions 4.11.2012, of the F. world. Verloove 9912 (BR, LG, LPA 30165). Origin : tropical Africa. Widely cultivated as a legume or ornamental in the warm-temperate and (sub-) tropical regions of the world. Known A massive distribution stand of Lablab in the Canary purpureus Islands was : disco- never recorded vered in barranco before (Acebes del Guiniguada Ginovés near et al. Las , 2009). Palmas de Degree Gran Canaria. of naturalization It is a rampant : naturalized. and vigorously twining perennial that competes with, among others, A massive stand of Lablab purpureus was disco- vered in barranco del Guiniguada near Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It is a rampant and vigorously twining perennial that competes with, among others, Cardiospermum Lemna minuta Kunth, grandiflorum Nov. Gen. Sw. Sp. It has 1: 372 large, (1816) tri- foliate (Fig. 6) leaves, (Araceae). and a long peduncled inflorescence with = Lemna relatively minuscula small Herter. purplish flowers. In Macaronesia it has been recorded before in Madeira (Borges, 2008) and the Cape Verde Islands (Sánchez-Pinto et al. , 2005). In the Pacific Islands Lablab purpureus is a troublesome weed. Lemna minuta Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 372 (1816) (Fig. 6) (Araceae). = Lemna minuscula Herter. Spain, Gran Canaria: Tamaraceite, embalse de Tamaraceite (in barranco de Tamaraceite), pond, along with Eclipta prostrata , 4.11.2012, F. Verloove 9928 (LPA 30179); Teror, barranco de Madrelagua, shallow water, 5.11.2012, F. Verloove 9943 (LPA 30178). Origin : temperate to tropical America. Introdu- ced as an aquatic weed in large parts of temperate Eurasia (Landolt, 2000). Known Lemna minuta distribution was in recorded the Canary twice Islands in Gran : never Ca- recorded naria in November before (Acebes 2012, Ginovés but probably et al. it , 2009). had been overlooked Degree of before naturalization as a result : naturalized/invasive. of confusion with L. minor L. It should be looked for, especially in the damper, northern parts of the island. In Tamaraceite Lemna minuta grows in a luxurious, nearly monos- pecific stand and clearly behaves like an invasive environmental weed. A similar behaviour has been reported in most areas where it is found as a xe- nophyte (see for instance Njambuya et al. , 2011). Lemna minuta is superficially similar to but easily distinguished from L. minor . It has smaller fronds that are up to twice as long as wide with a single, often obscure vein (vs. 3–5 veins). Confusion is more likely with Lemna valdiviana Phil., another American species that has repeatedly been docu- mented from Europe (see Iberite et al. , 2011 for a recent overview), most often by error. Records of Lemna minuta was recorded twice in Gran Ca- naria in November 2012, but probably it had been overlooked before as a result of confusion with L. minor L. It should be looked for, especially in the damper, northern parts of the island. In Tamaraceite Lemna minuta grows in a luxurious, nearly monos- pecific stand and clearly behaves like an invasive environmental weed. A similar behaviour has been reported in most areas where it is found as a xe- nophyte (see for instance Njambuya et al. , 2011). Lemna minuta is superficially similar to but easily distinguished from L. minor . It has smaller fronds that are up to twice as long as wide with a single, often obscure vein (vs. 3–5 veins). Confusion is more likely with Lemna valdiviana Phil., another American species that has repeatedly been docu- mented from Europe (see Iberite et al. , 2011 for a recent overview), most often by error. Records of the latter should be critically assessed since Lem- na valdiviana is a non-weedy species from stable habitats and rather unlikely to occur outside its native distribution range (E. Landolt, pers. comm., December 2012). Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br., Hortus Kew. 3: 409 (1811) ...