Difference between revisions of "Stachytarpheta jamaicensis"
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Common name: light-blue snakeweed | Common name: light-blue snakeweed | ||
==Taxonomic notes== | ==Taxonomic notes== | ||
| + | Synonym: ''Valerianoides jamaicensis'' (Linnaeus) Kuntze | ||
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''Stachytarpheta'' comes from the Greek words: stachys meaning spike and tarphys meaning thick or dense, which both refer to the dense flower spike. The specific epithet refers to the species origin: Jamaica<ref name="eat">[[http://www.eattheweeds.com/blue-porterweed-bottom-up/]]Eat the Weeds. Accessed: March 17, 2016</ref>. | ''Stachytarpheta'' comes from the Greek words: stachys meaning spike and tarphys meaning thick or dense, which both refer to the dense flower spike. The specific epithet refers to the species origin: Jamaica<ref name="eat">[[http://www.eattheweeds.com/blue-porterweed-bottom-up/]]Eat the Weeds. Accessed: March 17, 2016</ref>. | ||
Revision as of 19:57, 5 May 2016
| Stachytarpheta jamaicensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photo by Wayne Matchett, SpaceCoastWildflowers.com | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Verbenaceae |
| Genus: | Stachytarpheta |
| Species: | S. jamaicensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl | |
| |
| Natural range of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common name: light-blue snakeweed
Contents
Taxonomic notes
Synonym: Valerianoides jamaicensis (Linnaeus) Kuntze
Stachytarpheta comes from the Greek words: stachys meaning spike and tarphys meaning thick or dense, which both refer to the dense flower spike. The specific epithet refers to the species origin: Jamaica[1].
Description
S. jamaicensis is a small, sprawling perennial shrub whose younger stems are green or purplish in color, glabrous, and square. The blue or pink flowers are borne terminally on long, stringy spikes at the end of the stems. Leaves are opposite, simple, serrated, and ovate. Fruits are inconspicuous[2][3].
Distribution
This species is native to south Florida, the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, and Mexico[4]. It has become naturalized in Africa, Madagascar, tropical Asia, and northern and eastern Australia[2].
Ecology
Habitat
S. jamaicensis grows on dunes, shell middens, pine rocklands, and disturbed sties[4]. It will grow in calcareous, acidic, alkaline, sandy, loamy and clay soils[3] [5].
Phenology
Numerous flowers are arranged on long, curved thick spikes[2]. Flowers all year, but less from December through February[4].
Seed dispersal
Seeds can be spread by animals, clothing, vehicles, and contaminated agricultural produce[2].
Seed bank and germination
Fire ecology
Pollination
The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):
Apidae: Bombus pennsylvanicus
Use by animals
It is a food of death's head hawkmoths[6]. It is a larval host plant for the tropical buckeye caterpillar and a nectar source for Gulf fritillary and monarch butterflies[4].
Diseases and parasites
Conservation and Management
Cultivation and restoration
Photo Gallery
Flowers of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Photo by Wayne Matchett, SpaceCoastWildflowers.com
References and notes
Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
- ↑ [[1]]Eat the Weeds. Accessed: March 17, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 [[2]]Weeds of Australia. Accessed: March 16, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 [[3]]University of Florida Extension. Accessed: March 17, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 [[4]]Lee County Extension. Accessed: March 16, 2016
- ↑ Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: November 2015. Collectors: Robert K. Godfrey. States and Counties: Florida: Monroe. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
- ↑ [[5]]Encyclopedia of Life. Accessed: March 17, 2016
