''Colubrina asiatica'' is a shrub in the family

Rhamnaceae The Rhamnaceae are a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family. Rhamnaceae is included in the order Rosales. The family contains about 55 genera and 950 species. The Rhamnaceae h ...

that is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

, from eastern Africa to India, southeast Asia, tropical

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and the

Pacific Islands Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...

. 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

In Florida in the United States, ''Colubrina asiatica'' is an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

, capable of displacing native plants and altering the ecosystem. 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 The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and e ...

(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