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| Publication Type:
| Report |
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| Content Type: | Abstract or Summary only |
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| Author(s): | Ketchersid, M. L.;
Reed, M. D. |
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| Author Affiliation: | Agricultural and Environmental Safety, Texas Agricultural Extension Service and Botany Dept., Texas A&M Univ.; College Station, TX 77843 |
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| Title: | Lycianthes asarifolia (SOLANACEAE) a new weed in Texas lawns |
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| Meeting Info.: | 51st Annual Meeting, Birmingham, AL, January 26-28, 1998 |
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| Source: | Southern Weed Science Society Proceedings. Vol. 51, January 1998, p. 279. |
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| Publishing Information: | Champaign, IL: Southern Weed Science Society. |
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| # of Pages: | 1 |
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| Keywords: | TIC Keywords: Lycianthes asarifolia; Weed profile; Geographical distribution; Identification; Epidemiology; Nomenclature
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| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
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| Abstract/Contents: | "In July of 1997 an unknown plant was collected in Houston and sent to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service for identification. The plant had floral characteristics typical of the family SOLANACEAE and has been positively identified as lycianthes asarifolia (Kunth & Bouché) Bitter by Michael Nee of the New York Botanical Garden. This species has not previously been reported as being in Texas but has been found in City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. Lycianthes is a genus of 150 to 200 species native to southern Mexico and Central and South America. Most species are found in tropical America with a dozen or so in Asia and the South Pacific. The genus Lycianthes can be distinguished from Solanum by having a 10-nerved rather than a 5-nerved calyx. This species has a prostrate, trailing growth habit with stolons that root and produce leaves at every node. In general the leaves appear alternate on the stem but opposite pairs are also rather common. If the primary leaf is relatively large, a second leaf is usually small and often stipule-like but when the primary leaf is relatively small, the second leaf is often nearly the same size. Nodes having two equally sized leaves appear to be non-flowering. The leaves of the Houston plants are rounded apically with a strongly cordate base and have entire edges and long petioles (7-20 cm). The floweres are white, rotate, and ca. 1.5 cm broad. Floweres are solitary at the nodes, nodding on erect peduncles a little shorter than the petioles. The yellow anthers which open by a pore at the apex are connivent around the style which exceeds the anthers. The fruit is a reddish-orange berry ca. 1.3 cm in diameter, closely subtended by the truncate calyx. The fruit is eaten fresh or made into perserves in its native habitat. The leaves may also be edible. A visit to the collection site revealed that this plant has overrun several residential yards in Houston, forming a dense, attractive ground cover in shaded areas. This plant is highly competitive in St. Augustine lawns under Houston environmental conditions. It is apparently reproducing both vegetatively and sexually since numerous flowers and immature fruit were seen in early December. No fruit were observed in the previously reported Louisina population. The authors suspect that propagules are being carried from yard to yard on the euipment of landscape maintenance companies and through drainage ditches along the edge on the road. The exact time and point of introductions not known, but the population has been in existence for three or more years. Residents' attempts to control the plant by hand-pulling, mowing, herbicide application, and removal of infested sod have proven unsuccessful. This plant appears to be tolerant of Houston's winter weather and suffers only partial dieback during the hottest summer days. Should this plant become established in nearby Memorial Park (a large, wooded area), it could be nearly impossible to eradicate. We believe this plant could become a noxious weed in southern Texas and encourage identification, documentation, and destruction of any new colonies subsequently discovered. Plans are underway to conduct herbicide trials in one of the yards in the spring of 1998." |
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| Language: | English |
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| References: | 0 |
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| Note: | This item is an abstract only! |
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| ASA/CSSA/SSSA Citation (Crop Science-Like - may be incomplete):
Ketchersid, M. L., and M. D. Reed. 1998. Lycianthes asarifolia (SOLANACEAE) a new weed in Texas lawns. South. Weed Sci. Soc. Proc. 51:p. 279. |
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MSU catalog number: SB 611 .S6 v.51 |
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