Galapagos Species Database

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

Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br.

periquito-sessil, sessile joyweed,brede embellage, common roadside weed

Photo: .
Photo: .

Annual or usually perennial herb; Stem and branches green to pink or purplish, Leaves extremely variable in shape and size, linear-lanceolate to oblong,Inflorescences sessile, axillary, solitary or in clusters of up to c. 5, subglobose (slightly elongate in fruit) (POWO, 2022)

It is has environmental uses and social uses, as animal food and a medicine and for food (POWO, 2022)

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)

Order
Caryophyllales

Family
Amaranthaceae

Genus
Alternanthera

Species
sessilis

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Alternanthera ficoidea (L.) P. Beauv.

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: 1974

Distribution

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

Distribution: Its native range is Tropical & Subtropical Asia to N. & E. Australia, S. Mexico to Tropical America (POWO, 2022)

References

  • Van der Werff, H.H. (1977) Vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands: new records and taxonomic notes. Bot. Notiser 130(1): 89-100.
  • 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.
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org
  • Eliasson, U.H. Uno (1987) Amaranthaceae. Flora del Ecuador 28: 1–138.
  • 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.
  • Eliasson, U. (1989) Especies de Amaranthaceae en las Islas Galápagos y sus relaciones con las especies del continente Sudamericano. Pg. 33 - 38. Memorias. Taller sobre investigación Botánica y menejos en Galápagos.
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, Alternanthera sessilis", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=155. Accessed 2 May 2024.