Invasive Alien species
INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES
The second worst threat is the biological invasion of alien species (Convention for
Biological diversity, 1992)”
An alien plant also referred to as exotic, introduced, foreign, non-indigenous or non-native, is one that has been introduced by humans intentionally or otherwise through human agency or accidentally from one region to another. An alien plant that has escaped from its original ecosystem and is reproducing on its own in the regional flora is considered a naturalized species. Those naturalized aliens that become so successful as to spread in the flora and displace native biota or threatens valued environmental, agricultural or personal resources by the damage it causes are considered invasive.
Humans have been transporting animals and plants from one part of the world to another for thousands of years, sometimes deliberately for social or personal gain and sometimes accidentally. In most cases, such introductions are unsuccessful, but when they do become established as an invasive alien species (defined by IUCN (2000) as “an alien species which becomes established in natural or semi-natural ecosystems or habitat, is an agent of change, and threatens native biological diversity”), the consequences can be catastrophic. According to the Convention for Biological Diversity, invasive alien species are the second largest cause of biodiversity loss in the world and impose high costs to agriculture, forestry, and aquatic ecosystems. In fact, introduced species are a greater threat to native biodiversity than pollution, harvest, and disease combined.
The global extent and rapid increase in invasive species is homogenising the world’s flora and fauna (Mooney & Hobbs, 2000) and is recognized as a primary cause of global biodiversity loss. Bio-invasion may be considered as a form of biological pollution and significant component on global change and one of the major causes of species extinction (Mooney and Drake, 1987; Drake et al., 1989).
Foresters, taxonomists and ecologists are now well aware of the problems caused by the invasion of alien species into natural areas and the associated negative effects on global patterns of native biodiversity. Once established, some alien species have the ability to displace or replace native plant and animal species, disrupt nutrient and fire cycles, and cause changes in the pattern of plant succession. Studies are underway to better understand the impacts of these species on native ecosystems.
Many invasive plants continue to be admired by people who may not be aware of their weedy nature. Others are recognized as weeds but property owners fail to do their part in preventing their spread. Some species do not even become invasive until they are neglected for a long time. Invasive plants are not all equally invasive. Some only colonize small areas and do not do so aggressively. Others may spread and come to dominate large areas in just a few years. The loss due to invasive species in United States estimated to be $125-150 billion each year and 25% of US agriculture gross national product lost due to foreign pests and weeds (McNeely et al. 2001). Alien plants can spread rapidly because of our mobile society and the intentional transportation of ornamental and forage plants (Randall and Marinelli, 1997).
Characteristic features of Invasive species:
Invasive species possess characteristic features like “pioneer species” in varied landscapes, tolerant of a wide range of soil and weather conditions, generalist in distribution, produces copious amounts of seed that disperse easily, grows aggressive root systems, short generation time, high dispersal rates, long flowering and fruiting periods, broad native range, abundant in native range. Preliminary data from one interesting study shows that invasive species are likely to have relatively small amounts of DNA in their cell nuclei. Apparently, the cells in these plants are able to divide and multiply more quickly and consequently the entire plant can grow more rapidly than species with higher cellular DNA content. This gives them a leg up in disturbed sites.
According to World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), 1,604,000 species have been described at the global level. Thus India accounts for 8% of the global biodiversity existing in only 2.4% land area of the world. According to Nayar (1989) the number of flowering plant species endemic to the present political boundaries of this country is 4900 out of a total of 15000, i.e. 33%. Hajra & Mudgal (1997) report 5400 endemics in 17000 angiospermous species of India, which comes to 31.76 %. India is an important center of agri-biodiversity having contributed 167 species to the world agriculture and homeland for 320 species of wild relatives of crops. The present study focuses on 173 species of invasive alien plants in India. These include the most serious invasives, such as Alternanthera philoxeroides, Cassia uniflora, Chromolaena odorata, Eichhornia crassipes, Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, Prosopis juliflora and others.
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LIST OF INVASIVE ALIEN PLANT SPECIES IN INDIA
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. (Mimosacceae)
Habit: Tree
Nativity: Trop. South America
Acacia mearnsii De Wild. (Mimosacceae)
Habit: Tree
Nativity: South east Australia
Acanthospermum hispidum DC. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Brazil
Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss. ex Schult. (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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Aeschynomene americana L. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) King & Robinson (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ageratum houstonianum Mill. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Alternanthera paronychioides A. St. Hil (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Alternanthera pungens Kunth (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Alternanthera tenella Colla (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Antigonon leptopus Hook. & Arn. (Polygonaceae)
Habit: Climber
Nativity: Trop. America
Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Central & South America
Asclepias curassavica L. (Asclepiadaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav. (Liliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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B
Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Blainvillea acmella (L.) Philipson (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Blumea eriantha DC. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Blumea obliqua (L.) Druce (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Borassus flabellifer L. (Arecaceae)
Habit: Tree
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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C
Calotropis gigantea (L.) R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Cardamine hirsuta L. (Brassicaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cardamine trichocarpa Hochst. ex A.Rich. (Brassicaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cassia absus L. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cassia alata L. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: West Indies
Cassia hirsuta L. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cassia obtusifolia L. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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Cassia occidentalis L. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Cassia pumila Lam. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cassia rotundifolia Pers. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Cassia tora L. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Cassia uniflora Mill. (Caesalpiniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Catharanthus pusillus (Murray) Don (Apocynaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Celosia argentea L. (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Chamaesyce hirta (L.) Millsp. (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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Chamaesyce indica (Lam.) Croizat (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Chloris barbata Sw. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Chromolaena odorata (L.) King & Robinson (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Chrozophora rottleri (Geis.) Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Cleome gynandra L. (Cleomaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cleome monophylla L. (Cleomaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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Cleome rutidosperma DC. (Cleomaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cleome viscosa L. (Cleomaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Clidemia hirta (L.) D. Don (Melastomataceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Conyza bipinnatifida Wall. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Corchorus aestuans L. (Tiliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Corchorus fascicularis Lam. (Tiliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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Corchorus tridens L. (Tiliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Corchorus trilocularis L. (Tiliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) Moore (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Crotalaria pallida Dryand (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Crotalaria retusa L. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Croton bonplandianum Boil. (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Temperate South America
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Cryptostegia grandiflora R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Madagascar
Cuscuta chinensis Lam. (Cuscutaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Mediterranean
Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Cuscutaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Mediterranean
Cyperus difformis L. (Cyperaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cyperus iria L. (Cyperaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Europe
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D
Datura innoxia Mill. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. America
Datura metel L. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. America
Dicoma tomentosa Cass. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Digera muricata (L.) Mart. (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: SW Asia
Dinebra retroflexa (Vahl) Panz. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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E
Echinochloa colona (L.) Link (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Echinops echinatus Roxb. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Afghanistan
Eclipta prostrata (L.) Mant. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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Eichhornia crassipes (C. Martius) Solms-Loub. (Pontederiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Euphorbia cyathophora Murray (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Euphorbia heterophylla L. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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F
Flaveria trinervia (Spreng.) C. Mohr. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Central America
Fuirena ciliaris (L.) Roxb. (Cyperaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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G
Galinosoga parviflora Cav. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Glossocardia bosvallea (L.f.) DC. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: East Indies
Gnaphalium coarctatum Willd. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Gnaphalium pensylvanicum Willd. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Gnaphalium polycaulon Pers. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Gomphrena serrata L. (Amaranthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Grangea maderaspatana (L.) Poir. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
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H
Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (Lamiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
I
Impatiens balsamina L. (Balsaminaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raensch. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Indigofera astragalina DC. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Indigofera glandulosa Roxb. ex Willd. Papilionaceae
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Indigofera linifolia (L.f.) Retz. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Indigofera linnaei Ali (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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Indigofera trita L.f. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Ipomoea carnea Jacq. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. America
Ipomoea eriocarpa R.Br. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Ipomoea hederifolia L. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ipomoea obscura (L.) Ker.-Gawl. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Ipomoea pes-tigridis L. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. East Africa
Ipomoea quamoclit L. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ipomoea staphylina Roem. & Schult. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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L
Lagascea mollis Cav. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Central America
Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Leonotis nepetiifolia (L.) R.Br. (Lamiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Mimosacceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ludwigia adscendens (L.) Hara (Onagraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) Raven (Onagraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
Ludwigia perennis L. (Onagraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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M
Macroptilium atropupureum (DC.) Urban (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Climber
Nativity: Trop. America
Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urban (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Climber
Nativity: Trop. Central America
Malachra capitata (L.) L. (Malvaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke (Malvaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Martynia annua (Houstoun & Martyn) L. (Pedaliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Mecardonia procumbens (Mill.) Small (Scrophulariaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. North America
Melilotus alba Desv. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Europe
Melochia corchorifolia L. (Sterculiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Merremia aegyptia (L.) Urban. (Convolvulaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Mikania micrantha Kunth (Asteraceae)
Habit: Climber
Nativity: Trop. America
Mimosa pigra L. (Mimosacceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. North America
Mimosa pudica L. (Mimosacceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Brazil
Mirabilis jalapa L. (Nyctaginaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Peru
Monochoria vaginalis (Burm.f.) C. Presl. (Pontederiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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N
Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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O
Ocimum americanum L. (Lamiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. (Cactaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Oxalis corniculata L. (Oxalidaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Europe
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P
Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. North America
Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Pedalium murex L. (Pedaliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Pennisetum purpureum Schum. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth (Piperaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Peristrophe paniculata (Forssk.) Brummitt (Acanthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Mascarene Islands
Physalis angulata L. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Physalis pruinosa L. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Pilea microphylla (L.) Liebm. (Urticaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Portulaca quadrifida L. (Portulacaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Mimosacceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Mexico
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R
Rhynchelytrum repens (Willd.) C.E. Hubb. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Rorippa dubia (Pers.) Hara (Brassicaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Ruellia tuberosa L. (Acanthaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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S
Saccharum spontaneum L. (Poaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. West Asia
Salvinia molesta D. S. Mitch. (Salviniaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Brazil
Scoparia dulcis L. (Scrophulariaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Sesbania bispinosa (Jacq.) Wight (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. America
Sida acuta Burm.f. (Malvaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Solanum americanum Mill. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Solanum seaforthianum Andrews (Solanaceae)
Habit: Climber
Nativity: Brazil
Solanum torvum Sw. (Solanaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: West Indies
Solanum viarum Dunal (Solanaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Sonchus asper Hill (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Mediterranean
Sonchus oleraceus L. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Mediterranean
Spermacoce hispida L. (Rubiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Spilanthes radicans Jacq. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl (Verbenaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Stachytarpheta urticaefolia (Salisb.) Sims (Verbenaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Stylosanthes hamata (L.) Taub. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Synadenium grantii Hook. f. (Euphorbiaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. America
Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: West Indies
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T
Torenia fournieri Linden ex E. Fournier (Scrophulariaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Australia
Tribulus lanuginosus L. (Zygophyllaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Tridax procumbens L. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. Central America
Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. (Tiliaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Turnera subulata J.E. Smith (Turneraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Turnera ulmifolia L. Turneraceae Herb Trop. America
Habit:
Nativity:
Typha angustata Bory. & Choub. (Typhaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
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U
Ulex europaeus L. (Papilionaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Western Europe
Urena lobata L. (Malvaceae)
Habit: Shrub
Nativity: Trop. Africa
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W
Waltheria indica L. (Sterculiaceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
X
Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. America
Y
Youngia japonica (L.) DC. (Asteraceae)
Habit: Herb
Nativity: Trop. South America
[Source: C. Sudhakar Reddy, G. Bagyanarayana, K.N. Reddy & Vatsavaya S. Raju. 2008. Invasive Alien Flora of India. National Biological Information Infrastructure, Usgs, USA]
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