Swaziland's Alien Plants Database

Phytolacca octandra L. PHYTOLACCACEAE eightstamen pokeweed, red inkplant, dyeberry, inkweed, forest inkberry, inkberry, phytolacca Unknown, Potential minor problem species Origin: Tropical America Growth Form: Shrub Plant Description: Branched perennial herbs 4-6 (-15) dm tall; stems often reddish, angular. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 6-22 cm long, 1.7-7.5 cm wide, usually glabrous, sometimes lower surface sparsely puberulent along veins, margins entire, petioles 1-3 cm long. Flowers in racemes 7-14 cm long, usually moderately puberulent, peduncles 0.5-2 (-3) cm long, pedicels 0.5-2 mm long, bract 2-2.5 mm long, bracteoles ca. 1 mm long; sepals 5, white to sometimes dark pink, oblong to ovate, ca. 2-3 mm long; stamens 8-10, in a single whorl; ovary 7-8 (-10)-carpellate, the carpels connate throughout. Berries purple, 7-8 (-10)-ribbed, ca. 4-6 mm in diameter. Seeds black, lenticular, smooth, ca. 2 mm in diameter. Key Features: Control: Comments: Photo - flowers/fruit/leaves K Braun, Swaziland's Alien Plants Database Photo - flowers/leaves K Braun, Swaziland's Alien Plants Database Photo - fruit/leaves The Weeds Society of Western Australia

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