Asystasia, Chinese violet
Asystasia gangetica subsp. gangetica, Fam. Acanthaceae
Upright spreading perennial herb to 60cm tall or to 1m if it has support. Stems root at nodes wherever they touch the ground.
| Weed Category: |
Other invasive plants Invasive plants that are not prohibited or restricted invasive plants, but are known to spread readily and cause negative impacts, within the region.
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| Weed: | Yes |
| Form or habit: | Herb |
| Family: | Acanthaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple Opposite Opposite ovate to circular, about 50 x 40mm, base rounded, tapering or squared, margins roundly toothed. Leaf pairs connected by a transverse ridge. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Cream, Mauve, Purple |
| Flower description: | Cream, pale mauve to purple, irregularly, 5-lobed bell-shaped, 20-40mm long. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | Dry |
| Fruit description: | Brown, club shaped capsules, 13-28 x 2mm explosively expelling 4 flattened seeds when mature. |
| Habitat: | |
| Distribution | |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | |
| Origin: | Probably Asia |
| Notes: | Spread by: explosive seeds, vegetatively from stems, garden waste. Invades/threats: can smother other ground plants and displace vegetation, mainly within coastal sandy soils but can tolerate a wide range of soils. Notes: garden escapee. Large infestation recorded at Turners Beach, extending from just above the high tide line. A. gangetica spp. micrantha has smaller white flowers, up to 25mm long, with purple marking on lower lip. Not recorded in this region. |
| Information sources: | Mackay Regional Pest Management Group (2018) Weeds of the Mackay Whitsunday Region Second Edition. |
