Alternanthera philoxeroides

(Martius) Grisebach

Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen 24: 36. 1879.

Common names: Alligatorweed
WeedyIntroducedIllustrated
Basionym: Bucholzia philoxeroides Martius Beitr. Amarantac., 107. 1825
Synonyms: Achyranthes philoxeroides (Martius) Standley
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 448. Mentioned on page 449.

Herbs, perennial, aquatic to semiterrestrial, stoloniferous, to 50 dm. Stems prostrate, forming mats, often fistulose, glabrous. Leaves sessile; blade narrowly elliptic, elliptic, or oblanceolate, 3.5–7.1 × 0.5–2 cm, herbaceous, apex acute to obtuse, glabrous. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, pedunculate; heads white, globose, 1.4–1.7 cm diam.; bracts not keeled, less than 1/2 as long as tepals. Flowers: tepals monomorphic, white, lanceolate or oblong, 6 mm, apex acute, glabrous; stamens 5; pseudostaminodes ligulate. Utricles not seen. Seeds not seen.


Phenology: Flowering early spring–summer.
Habitat: Ponds, ditches, streams, bayous
Elevation: 0-200 m

Distribution

V4 880-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Ala., Ark., Calif., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ky., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., West Indies, native to South America

Discussion

Alternanthera philoxerioides is said to reproduce only vegetatively in North America. I have seen no fruit or seed.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
acute;acute;obtuse +
Steven E. Clemants +
(Martius) Grisebach +
Bucholzia philoxeroides +
3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br /> (7.1 cm71 mm <br />0.071 m <br />) +
oblanceolate +  and elliptic +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
0 +  and 1/2 +
not keeled +
Alligatorweed +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ky. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +, West Indies +  and native to South America +
0-200 m +
peripheral +
hypogynous +
minute +  and small +
not +  and dehiscent +
Ponds, ditches, streams, bayous +
several-flowered +
1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
globose +
subtending +
Flowering early spring–summer. +
Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen +
reddish-brown +
ovoid-oblong +  and lenticular +
Weedy +, Introduced +  and Illustrated +
several-flowered +
cylindric +
erect +  and ascending +
fistulose +
2-lobed +  and capitate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Achyranthes philoxeroides +
Alternanthera philoxeroides +
Alternanthera +
species +
distinct +
oblong +  and lanceolate +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (?) +
indurate +, membranaceous +, chartaceous +  and scarious +
indehiscence +
obovoid +, ovoid +  and compressed +
aquatic;semiterrestrial +