Chromolaena Explained

Chromolaena is a genus of about 165 species of perennials and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. The name is derived from the Greek words Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: χρῶμα, meaning "color", and Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: χλαῑνα or Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: λαῑνα meaning "cloak". It refers to the colored phyllaries of some species. Members of the genus are native to the Americas, from the southern United States to South America (especially Brazil). One species, Chromolaena odorata, has been introduced to many parts of the world where it is considered a weed.

The plants of this genus were earlier taxonomically classified under the genus Eupatorium, but are now considered to be more closely related to other genera in the tribe Eupatorieae.^[1]

Species

There are about 165 species, including:^[2]

• Chromolaena bigelovii (A.Gray) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - Bigelow's thoroughwort
• Chromolaena borinquensis (Britt.) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - limestone thoroughwort
• Chromolaena corymbosa (Aubl.) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - Caribbean thoroughwort
• Chromolaena frustrata (B.L.Rob.) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - Cape Sable thoroughwort
• Chromolaena geraniifolia (Urb.) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - geraniumleaf thoroughwort (Puerto Rico)^[3]
• Chromolaena hirsuta (Hook. & Arn.) R.M.King & H.Rob.
• Chromolaena impetiolaris (Griseb.) Nicolson
• Chromolaena integrifolia (Bertero ex Spreng.) R.M.King & H.Rob.
• Chromolaena ivifolia R.M.King & H.Rob.  - ivyleaf thoroughwort
• Chromolaena macrodon (DC.) Nicolson
• Chromolaena misella (McVaugh) R.M.King & H.Rob.
• Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - Jack in the bush
• Chromolaena oteroi (Monachino) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - Mona Island thoroughwort
• Chromolaena sagittata (A.Gray) R.M.King & H.Rob.
• Chromolaena sinuata (Lam.) R.M.King & H.Rob.  - wavyleaf thoroughwort
• Chromolaena squalida (DC.) R.M.King & H.Rob.
• Chromolaena trigonocarpa (Griseb.) R.M.King & H.Rob.
• Chromolaena xalapana B.L.Turner

In Australia some species are called "triffid weed"^[4]

Notes and References

1. Phylogeny and Biogeography of Eupatorium (Asteraceae: Eupatorieae) Based on Nuclear ITS Sequence . GJ . Schmidt . EE Schilling . American Journal of Botany . May 2000 . 87 . 5 . 716–726 . 10811796 . 10.2307/2656858 . Botanical Society of America . 2656858 . free .
2. Web site: GRIN Species Records of Chromolaena . https://archive.today/20121213010503/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?13986 . dead . 2012-12-13 . Germplasm Resources Information Network . United States Department of Agriculture . 2011-08-25 .
3. Web site: Chromolaena geraniifolia (Urban) King & H.E. Robins . John K. Francis, Research Forester, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Jardín Botánico Sur . Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions, General Technical Report IITF-WB-1 . John K. Francis . 2008-08-24 .
4. Web site: Archived copy . 2008-01-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070830083549/http://www.weeds.org.au/docs/weednet6.pdf . 2007-08-30 . (page 6)