Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Elytraria imbricata (Vahl) Pers.

Cordón de San Juan, Cola de alacrán, cordoncillo, pata de pollo, purple scalystem

Photo: .
Photo: .

Weedy caulescent herb, occasionally acaulescent, inflorescences on numerous scapes born at the axils of the leaves (WFO, 2022)

Common in disturbed areas. It is used as a medicine and for food (POWO, 2022)

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)

Order
Scrophulariales

Family
Acanthaceae

Genus
Elytraria

Species
imbricata

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Justicia imbricata Vahl

Taxon origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Mode of introduction: Accidental

Introduction Pathway: Contaminant

Subpathway: Contaminant on plants (inc. seeds and plant associated material)

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: No data

Year of first record: 1939

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Zona del Pacífico, del Suroeste de los Estados Unidos a Sudamérica del oeste (WFO, 2022)

References

  • Wiggins, I.L. Porter, D.M. (1971) Flora of the Galapagos Islands Standford University Press, Stanford.
  • Porter, D.M. (1983) Vascular Plants of the Galapagos: Origins and Dispersal. In: Bowman, R.I., Berson, M. & Leviton, A.E. (eds.): Patterns of evolution in Galápagos organisms. Pacific Division, AAAS, San Francisco, California, p. 33-96.
  • Jaramillo, P. (1998) Distribución Espacial de la Vegetación Vascular y Dispersión de Especies Introducidas dentro del Parque Nacional Galápagos. Tesis de Doctorado en Biología, Universidad Central del Ecuador. Especialización ECOLOGIA DE POBLACIONES.
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org
  • Itow, S. (1997) List of Plant Specimens collected in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Bulletin of the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Nagasaki University, Natural Science, 38 (1): 53-144.
  • Guézou, A. Trueman, M., Buddenhagen, E., Chamorro, S., Guerrero, A.M., Pozo, P., Atkinson, R. (2010) An extensive Alien Plan Inventory from the Inhabited Areas of Galapagos Plos One/ www.plosone.org. Volume 5/ Issue 4/e10276
  • Lawesson, J.E. (1987) Plantas exóticas en las Islas Galápagos, un resumen. Memorias. Taller sobre investigación Botánica y manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 17-23.
You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging the origin of the data.
This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Elytraria imbricata", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=127. Accessed 2 May 2024.