Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Borrowdale Common, Harare.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Staff compound, Aberfoyle Lodge, Honde Valley

Synonyms:	Alternanthera dentata (Moench) Stuchlík ex R.E.Fr.
Common names:	Brazilian joyweed (English) Calico plant (English) Joseph's coat (English) Purple joyweed (English) Ruby leaf (English)
Description:	Shrubby perennial. Stems,branches and leaves deep purple. Inflorescences axillary and terminal, creamy-white.
Notes:	This species is considered a naturalised and invasive weed in Florida and Australia. It is not really known as naturalised in Zimbabwe but the specimen in image 1-3 was apparently thriving among dumped garden rubbish in Borrowdale Common, Harare, while the specimen in image-4 also appeared naturalized outside a staff compound in Aberfoyle, Honde Valley.
Derivation of specific name:	brasiliana: of Brazil
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Native from southern Mexico, trough Central America and the Caribbean to tropical South America.
Growth form(s):
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Alternanthera brasiliana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Alternanthera brasiliana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Alternanthera brasiliana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Alternanthera brasiliana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Alternanthera brasiliana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Alternanthera brasiliana
JSTOR Plant Science: Alternanthera brasiliana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Alternanthera brasiliana
Plants of the World Online: Alternanthera brasiliana
Tropicos: Alternanthera brasiliana
Wikipedia: Alternanthera brasiliana