''Colubrina asiatica'' is a shrub in the family Rhamnaceae that is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, from

eastern Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historica ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

, tropical Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Common names include latherleaf, Asian nakedwood and Asian snakewood.

Description

''Colubrina asiatica'' has a vine-like growth habit, sending out multiple stems that can reach in length. The branches have simple, alternate, glossy, ovate and acuminate leaves, long, with several prominent veins. Leaf margins are wavy or finely serrated (toothed). Flowers are small, greenish and bloom in clusters in leaf axils. Blooming can occur year-round. Fruit are berry-like capsules with small, gray seeds. Seeds float and are tolerant to salt water, which allows the species to spread across oceans. The plants grow in full to partial sun on upland sites.

As an invasive species

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in the United States, ''Colubrina asiatica'' is an invasive species, capable of displacing

native plant In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...

s and altering the

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

. It is listed as a Type 1 exotic invader by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. It has been found in the southern part of the Florida peninsula, including in Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, Lee and Martin counties, and in the Florida Keys (Monroe County). It was first collected in Florida in 1937.Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, http://www.eddmaps.org/florida/species/subject.cfm?sub=5358. Retrieved 2010-07-25.

References

External links

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5149520 asiatica Flora of Africa Flora of Asia Flora of Australia Plants described in 1826 Taxa named by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus