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  4. Verbena brasiliensis

Verbena brasiliensis

In disturbed ground, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
In disturbed ground, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Leaves, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Leaves, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Flowers, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Flowers, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Flowers, Hokianga Far North.<br>Photographer: Marley Ford, Date taken: 17/12/2020, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Path side weed, Christchurch Canterbury.<br>Photographer: William Reinders, Date taken: 10/04/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Path side wed, Christchurch Canterbury.<br>Photographer: William Reinders, Date taken: 10/04/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common names

Brazilian vervain

Biostatus

Exotic

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites

Flower colours

Red/Pink, Violet/Purple

Detailed description

Plants annual or short-lived perennial, taprooted or with ligneous fibrous roots. Stems erect, 70–150(–250) cm, sparsely to moderately hispid. Leaves persistent, lanceolate to rhombic-lanceolate 8 or lanceolate-elliptic, cuneate-attenuate at base, midstem blades (2–)5–8 cm x 10–25 mm, veins impressed adaxially, adaxially strigose-hirsute, abaxially hirsute mostly along the veins, margins serrate; petioles absent. Spikes in 3s, forming compound cymes, the central sessile to subsessile on peduncles 0–5(–10) mm, inflorescence aspect corymbiform, comprising relatively compact and distinct clusters and subclusters, central and laterals dense and thick in fruit, (5–)10–30(–50) mm x 3– 5 mm; floral bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–4 mm, about equal or longer than the calyces. Calyces (2.5–)3–3.5 mm, loosely strigose to hirsute-strigose, eglandular, lobes connivent. Corollas usually purple to blue or blue-violet, tubes 3–4 mm, limbs (2–)2.5–3.5 mm in diam. Nutlets 1–1.4 mm, commissural faces extending to very tip of nutlets, densely papillate. 2n = 28.

Similar taxa

Distinguished from other members of the genus Verbena by the petiolate leaves, non-creeping habit, and stout flower spikelets.

Distribution

North Island. South Island. In New Zealand V. brasiliensis is a rare weed found in the Far North in Hokianga and the Bay of Islands, as well as Westport on the West Coast of the South Island.

Introduced in Northern America, Mexico (Michoacan, Nuevo León, Sinaloa), Europe, Africa (South Africa), Madagascar, Australia.

Conservation status

Not applicable

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Verbenaceae

Authority

Verbena brasiliensis P.Vell.

Synonyms

Verbena quadrangularis Vell., Verbena hansenii Greene, Verbena litoralis forma angustifolia Chod., Verbena approximata Briq., Verbena brasiliensis var. subglabrata Moldenke, Verbena chacensis Moldenke, Verbena litoralis Kunth var. congesta Moldenke

Ecology

Year naturalised

1949

Origin

Tropical America - Eastern Brazil.

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

Ford M. (2022). Verbena incompta P.W.Michael: an overlooked name for an old weed in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany: 1–11. (Published online: 23 May 2022)

Nesom G.L. (2010). Taxonomic notes on Verbena bonariensis (Verbenaceae) and related species in the USA. Phytoneuron 12: 1–16.

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (5 March 2022). Brief description and Distribution sections are copied from Nesom (2010).

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