Lindernia crustacea (L.) F.Muell.

Code

LIDCR

Growth form

Boradleaf

Biological cycle

Annual to vivacious

Habitat

Terrestrial

China: Lindernia crustacea flowers and fruits throughout the year.
West Indies: Flowering mainly from March to November

Lindernia crustacea is an annual to vivacious plant that can multiply vegetatively thanks to these branches which root easily at nodes. The plant also reproduces by seeds.

Lindernia crustacea can be confused with several other Lindernia species. 

Lindernia crustacea grows from sea level up to 1500 m altitude in fairly diverse areas: roadsides, rocky places, areas with waste, gardens, wetlands or temporarily flooded ...
Wet places, fields and gardens, along roads, on old walls, dikes, often on compacted soils. It can form, if not disturbed, a dense turf on bare soil.

West Indies: Lindernia crustacea is present in Guadeloupe and Martinique in more or less humid pastures from 0 to 700 m altitude.
China: In wet pastures, rice fields, roadsides from 0 to 1300 m of altitude.
French Guiana: It is particularly fond of wet land at the edge of the cultivated plots and can form a fairly dense monospecific carpet over several square meters. It is common in irrigated greenhouses for vegetables.
Mauritius: Introduced species, ruderal and crop weed.
Reunion: Absent

Origin

Lindernia crustacea is native to Asia.

Worldwide distribution

This species is widely introduced in all tropical and sub-tropical regions (America, Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Australia, Pacific).

Global harmfulness

Lindernia crustacea is a rice weed of minor importance.


Local harmfulness

French Guiana: In a few years, Lindernia crustacea has begun to colonize areas bordering the cultivated plots on soils both packed and wet particularly in the area of Cacao. In vegetable crops it is present in nearly 20% of plots, particularly in irrigated greenhouses for vegetable production. It remains globally scanty.

Medicinal: In Peninsular Malaysia, a decoction of leaves, or leaves of other species of Lindernia, is administered as a medicine after delivery. In the Moluccas, it is applied to boils and itching, wounds resembling herpes and wounds caused by ticks in the forest. In Indochina, the plant is considered to have emetic and cathartic properties and has shown good results in the treatment of bilious disorders, dysentery, amenorrhoea and hepatitis. It is one of the most common plants in Chinese pharmacies in Indonesia and Malaysia. In Brunei, powder of Lindernia crustacea mixed with rice water is drunk to relieve diarrhea, vomiting and cholera. In French Guiana, the whole plant is used as an infusion to reduce albuminuria; treat leprosy. The decoction is drunk as a tea for a febrifuge effect.

Global control

Foliar herbicide spray with 2,4-D amin (600 g/200 l).

For general information on weed control of irrigated and lowland rice in Africa see:

For recommandations on weed control of annual broadleaved from irrigated and lowland rice in Africa see:

Local control

French Guiana: Lindernia crustacea is rather confined to the edges of the plot requiring hoeing if it is present on the plot.

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Lindernia%2520crustacea