| Picture | Title | Caption | Copyright |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflorerscence | Lepidagathis alopecuroidea (pata de gallina); inflorerscence, showing flower and leaves. Nicaragua. | ©O.M. Montiel/via Tropicos-Missouri Botanical Garden - CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | |
| Flower and leaves | Lepidagathis alopecuroidea (pata de gallina); habit, showing flower and leaves. Nicaragua. | ©O.M. Montiel/via Tropicos-Missouri Botanical Garden - CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | |
| Inflorerscence | Lepidagathis alopecuroidea (pata de gallina); inflorerscence, showing flower and leaves. Nicaragua. | ©O.M. Montiel/via Tropicos-Missouri Botanical Garden - CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | |
| Habit | Lepidagathis alopecuroidea (pata de gallina); habit, showing inflorescence, leaves and root system. East of Lake Azingo, nr Lambaréné, Gabon. June 2014. | ©Ehoarn Bidault/via Tropicos-Missouri Botanical Garden - CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 |
Datasheet
Lepidagathis alopecuroidea (pata de gallina)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Description
- Plant Type
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- History of Introduction and Spread
- Risk of Introduction
- Habitat
- Habitat List
- Biology and Ecology
- Climate
- Latitude/Altitude Ranges
- Air Temperature
- Rainfall
- Rainfall Regime
- Soil Tolerances
- Pathway Causes
- Impact Summary
- Risk and Impact Factors
- Uses
- Uses List
- Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
- Gaps in Knowledge/Research Needs
- References
- Contributors
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pageIdentity
Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Lepidagathis alopecuroidea (Vahl) R.Br. ex Griseb.
Preferred Common Name
- pata de gallina
Other Scientific Names
- Adenosma chenopodiifolia (Poir.) Spreng.
- Aetheilema alopecuroidea (Vahl) Spreng.
- Ruellia alopecuroidea Vahl.
- Ruellia chenopodiifolia Poir.
- Telostachya alopecuroidea (Vahl.) Ness
International Common Names
- French: queue de renard; zeau noire
Local Common Names
- Guadeloupe: fon san; ké (a) rénar; zo nwè
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of pageLepidagathis alopecuroidea is a small perennial herb with a pantropical distribution, not reported as invasive in any of its current range. Although the species is not reported as present in the Pacific Islands, it is considered a threat at high altitudes (PIER, 2020). Oviedo Prieto et al. (2012) list L. alopecuroidea as potentially invasive, including it in the category of species naturalised in some areas with a tendency to proliferate. It is also considered as a potential invasive species for the Lesser Antilles by Meyer and Lavergne (2004) despite most references listing the West Indies as part of its native distribution (Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012).
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Scrophulariales
- Family: Acanthaceae
- Genus: Lepidagathis
- Species: Lepidagathis alopecuroidea
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Top of pageThe Acanthaceae contains about 4000 species found in tropical and subtropical habitats worldwide. Lepidagathis is a large genus of about 100 species with about 10 occurring in the New World. Some of the species have complex patterns of dispersal and/or extinction; with at least three dispersal events from the Old World to the New World (McDade et al., 2008). Of the synonyms reported for L. alopecuroidea, Ruellia lagopodes Ryan ex Nees is an unresolved name (The Plant List, 2013).
Description
Top of pageThe following description is from Leonard (1958):
Herbs up to 50 cm tall, usually much branched, erect, decumbent or ascending, sometimes rooting at the lower nodes, short-pilose; leaf blades thin, ovate to elliptic, 3 to 8 cm long, 2 to 3 cm wide, acute or obtuse at apex, narrowed at base, repand or entire; spikes usually terminal, 2 to 8 cm long, 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, many-flowered; bracts lanceolate to oblong, about 6 mm long, venose, ciliate; calyx segments unequal, 4 to 6 mm long, the anterior pair lanceolate, connate at the base, the lateral pair linear, the posterior segment obovate; corolla white or violet, about as long as the calyx; stamens 4, free at base, the anther sacs parallel, slightly unequal, blunt at base; capsules sessile, glabrous, 4-seeded, about 4 mm long.
Distribution
Top of pageL. alopecuroidea is a small herb with a pantropical distribution, considered as native to both the Old World and the New World (POWO, 2020). Fossil evidence paired with molecular studies suggest that the species distribution is the result of long-distance dispersal events from the Old World to the New World within the past 20 million years (myr) (Tripp and McDade, 2014).
L. alopecuroidea is reported from Mexico, Central America, South America, the West Indies and Africa (Loveless, 1960; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; Flora do Brasil, 2020; Missouri Botanical Garden, 2020; POWO, 2020; PROTA, 2020; USDA-ARS, 2020). It is listed as native to Cuba (USDA-ARS, 2020), although Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong (2012) question if the species is native to this country.
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 23 Jul 2020| Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa |
|||||||
| Angola | Present | Native | |||||
| Cameroon | Present | Native | |||||
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | Present | Native | |||||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Present | Native | |||||
| Gabon | Present | Native | |||||
| Ghana | Present | Native | |||||
| Guinea | Present | Native | |||||
| Liberia | Present | Native | |||||
| Mali | Present | Native | |||||
| Nigeria | Present | Native | |||||
| Senegal | Present | Native | |||||
| Sierra Leone | Present | Native | |||||
| Tanzania | Present | Native | |||||
North America |
|||||||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Present | Native | Antigua | ||||
| Barbados | Present | Native | |||||
| Belize | Present | Native | |||||
| Costa Rica | Present | Native | |||||
| Cuba | Present | Native | |||||
| Dominica | Present | Native | |||||
| Dominican Republic | Present | Native | |||||
| Grenada | Present | Native | |||||
| Guadeloupe | Present | Native | |||||
| Guatemala | Present | Native | |||||
| Haiti | Present | Native | |||||
| Honduras | Present | Native | |||||
| Jamaica | Present | Native | |||||
| Martinique | Present | Native | |||||
| Mexico | Present | Native | Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Veracruz | ||||
| Montserrat | Present | Native | |||||
| Nicaragua | Present | Native | |||||
| Panama | Present | Native | |||||
| Puerto Rico | Present | Native | |||||
| Saint Lucia | Present | Native | |||||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Present | Native | |||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Present | Native | |||||
South America |
|||||||
| Bolivia | Present | Native | |||||
| Brazil | Present | Native | |||||
| -Amazonas | Present | Native | |||||
| -Goias | Present | Native | |||||
| -Mato Grosso | Present | Native | |||||
| -Para | Present | Native | |||||
| Colombia | Present | Native | |||||
| Ecuador | Present | Native | |||||
| French Guiana | Present | Native | |||||
| Guyana | Present | Native | |||||
| Paraguay | Present | Native | |||||
| Peru | Present | Native | |||||
| Suriname | Present | Native | |||||
| Venezuela | Present | Native | |||||
History of Introduction and Spread
Top of pageThere is no information available on the introduction or spread of L. alopecuroidea to countries outside its native range. Although reported as naturalised in the Lesser Antilles by Meyer and Lavergne (2004), most of the available references list the species as native to the West Indies (Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; POWO, 2020; USDA-ARS, 2020).
Risk of Introduction
Top of pageVery little is known about L. alopecuroidea, including its environmental requirements, reproductive biology and dispersal mechanisms. Its risk of introduction is low as the geographical distribution is apparently limited to tropical areas, it is not cultivated, and no productive uses have been reported for the species other than as a sedative (PROTA, 2020).
Habitat
Top of pageL. alopecuroidea is a small perennial herb reported from palm swamps, riverine forests, sandy shaded river banks, shrublands, damp savannas, shaded paths, thickets, disturbed forests, semi-evergreen forests, damp or wet forests, thickets, open hillsides, meadows and forests clearings (Leonard, 1958; Ramirez and Brito, 1990; Meyer and Lavergne, 2004; Wasshausen and Wood, 2004; Flora do Brasil, 2020; Flora of Nicaragua, 2020; PIER, 2020; PROTA, 2020). It grows from sea level to about 1400 m altitude (PIER, 2020).
Habitat List
Top of page| Category | Sub-Category | Habitat | Presence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Natural |
| Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural forests | Present, no further details | Natural |
| Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Natural |
| Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Natural |
| Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Scrub / shrublands | Present, no further details | Natural |
Biology and Ecology
Top of pageGenetics
The chromosome number reported for L. alopecuroidea is n=9 (Daniel et al., 1990).
Reproductive Biology
L. alopecuroidea is reported as reproducing by seed and probably by stem cuttings (PIER, 2020).
Physiology and Phenology
In Bolivia, L. alopecuroidea produces flowers and fruits during the dry season, from April to September (Wasshausen and Wood, 2004). In Central America the flowering season is from January to April (Flora of Nicaragua, 2020).
Longevity
L. alopecuroidea is a perennial herb (Flora of Nicaragua, 2020).
Environmental Requirements
No environmental requirements are reported for L. alopecuroidea. Based on the habitat distribution, the species grows on humid soils, shaded places and in occasionally waterlogged areas of the tropics (PIER, 2020; PROTA, 2020).
Climate
Top of page| Climate | Status | Description | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Af - Tropical rainforest climate | Preferred | > 60mm precipitation per month | |
| Am - Tropical monsoon climate | Preferred | Tropical monsoon climate ( < 60mm precipitation driest month but > (100 - [total annual precipitation(mm}/25])) | |
| As - Tropical savanna climate with dry summer | Preferred | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in summer) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
| Aw - Tropical wet and dry savanna climate | Preferred | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in winter) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) |
Latitude/Altitude Ranges
Top of page| Latitude North (°N) | Latitude South (°S) | Altitude Lower (m) | Altitude Upper (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 22 |
Rainfall
Top of page| Parameter | Lower limit | Upper limit | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean annual rainfall | 725 mm | 2400 mm | mm; lower/upper limits |
Pathway Causes
Top of page| Cause | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disturbance | The species is reported at disturbed forest sites | Yes | Wasshausen and Wood (2004) | |
| Medicinal use | Local ethnobotanical uses reported in the Lesser Antilles | Yes | PROTA (2020) |
Risk and Impact Factors
Top of page
Invasiveness
- Has a broad native range
- Tolerant of shade
- Long lived
- Reproduces asexually
Uses
Top of pageL. alopecuroidea has mild insecticidal activity. In Dominica, it is used as a sedative to calm children (PROTA, 2020).
Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
Top of pageL. alopecuriodea can be distinguished from other species of Lepidagathis by the inflorescence being very congested with white, purple-spotted flowers, and by the conspicuous calyces (Kameyama, 2006).
Gaps in Knowledge/Research Needs
Top of pageThere is very little information about L. alopecuroidea. There is no information on its impact, biology, dispersal mechanisms and environmental requirements.
References
Top of pageDaniel TF, Chuang TI, Baker MA, 1990. Chromosome numbers of American Acanthaceae. Systematic Botany, 15(1), 13-25.
Kameyama C, 2006. (Flora da Reserva Ducke, Amazonas, Brasil: Acanthaceae). Rodriguésia, 57(2), 149-154.
Leonard EC, 1958. The Acanthaceae of Colombia. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, 31(1), 1-117.
PIER, 2020. Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: HEAR, University of Hawaii.http://www.hear.org/pier/index.html
Tripp EA, McDade LA, 2014. A rich fossil record yields calibrated phylogeny for Acanthaceae (Lamiales) and evidence for marked biases in timing and directionality of intercontinental disjunctions. Systematic Biology, 63(5), 660-684.
Distribution References
Contributors
Top of page23/02/20 Original text by:
Jeanine Vélez-Gavilán, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Distribution Maps
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