Ligustrum robustum grows as a shrub or small tree up to 10 m (30 ft) tall though old specimens of more than a hundred years have been observed with a height of 15 m (50 ft). The fruit of the shrub is an ellipsoid berry, bluish-purple when fully ripe, 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) × 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in).[2][3][4]
The shrub is native to South and Southeast Asia (Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam) but has become naturalized in other countries.[5] It was introduced to Mauritius at the end of the 19th century and to La Réunion, where it has become a major invasive species.[6] The Flora of China lists a "Ligustrum robustum subsp. chinense P. S. Green" as native to China,[7] but more recent publications have regarded that name as a synonym of L. expansum.[8]
Ligustrum robustum was nominated among 100 of the "World's Worst" invasive species. A moth (Epiplema albida), and two coleoptera (Dermorhytis ornatissima and Dermorhytis lewisi) are being tested for biological control programs in La Réunion but have not yet been released.[6] Other lepidoptera that feed on this plant are Brahmaea wallichii, Pangrapta grisangula[9] and Dolbina inexacta.
Etymology
Ligustrum means ‘binder’. It was named by Pliny and Virgil.[10]
See also
- Kuding, a tisane made from its leaves
References
- ^ Tropicos
- ^ "Plantwise Knowledge Bank datasheet". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
- ^ Carl Ludwig von Blume. 1850. Museum Botanicum Lugduno-Batavum sive stirpium Exoticarum, Novarum vel Minus Cognitarum ex Vivis aut Siccis Brevis Expositio et Descriptio. Leiden 1: 313, Ligustrum robustum
- ^ Roxburgh, William. 1820. Flora Indica; or descriptions of Indian Plants 1: 101–102, Phillyrea robusta
- ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Ligustrum robustum
- ^ a b T. Le Bourgeois , V. Blanfort, S. Baret , C. Lavergne , Y. Soubeyran and J.Y. Meyer. 2008. Opportunities for classical biological control of weeds in European overseas territories. International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds[permanent dead link]
- ^ Flora of China, v 15 p 302, Ligustrum robustum subsp. chinense
- ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Ligustrum robustum subsp. chinense
- ^ Caterpillar host plant database
- ^ Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). p 237
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