2. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
reported from the Indo-Pak subcontinent in the early 1700s (Austin 2008).
Today, it is known from the tropical and subtropical regions throughout
the world (GBIF 2020c).
This paper reports the presence of a second species of the genus in
Pakistan, Evolvulus nummularius, which was found growing in a protected
area, the Jhok Reserve Forest Lahore during 2016–2017 surveys. Here, we
synthesize the existing information concerning its taxonomy and
distribution, discuss the implications of its discovery in Pakistan, and draw
attention to two web sites where the floristic information presented here is
integrated with other floristic information for the Convolvulaceae of
Pakistan (Austin and Ghazanfar 1979).
Materials and methods
This study began with the discovery of an unknown species growing in
Jhok Reserve Forest, Lahore (Punjab Province) in 2016. To enable its
identification, specimens were collected, the locality georeferenced using a
ETREX 20, and images recorded using a DSLR-Nikon 5300. Fieldwork
during 2016–2019 revealed several additional populations, each of which
was documented in a similar manner. A distribution map of the species
was prepared using ArcMap 10.5 ESRI (Supplementary material Table S1).
The specimens were identified using the Flora of China (Fang and Staples
1995) and their identification confirmed using images on the E-flora of
India Google Group (https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/). They
have been deposited in the herbarium of the University of Punjab (LAH;
Thiers 2020), Lahore.
We consulted OpenHerbarium (2020) and GBIF (2020c) to determine
the known distribution of E. nummularius and Tropicos (2020) to develop
the list of nomenclatural and taxonomic systems. The listing in this paper
includes only taxonomic synonyms derived from Ooststroom (1934) and
the Flora of China (Fang and Staples 1995). The examination of type
specimens was beyond the scope of this project.
Results
As stated in the introduction, the unknown species proved to be
E. nummularius, a member of the Convolvulaceae. All populations discovered
from different sites of Lahore, seem to be well established, suggesting that
the species is probably more widespread, at least in Lahore if not in other
parts of Pakistan. The following description of E. nummularius is based on
the specimens collected as part of this study.
Description:
Plants stoloniferous perennial herbs with prostrate stems (Figure 1A),
rooting at the lower nodes, roots 2–4 cm long (Figure 1B). Stems 15–40 cm
3. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
Figure 1. Evolvulus nummularius showing its creeping habit (A), lower portion of creeping
stem with rooting at each node (B), alternate arrangement of leaves on an adaxial surface (C),
abaxial side of leaves (D), flower and flower bud emerging from leaf axil (E), flower with
deeply lobed corolla and stamens (F), young globose capsule (G), brown capsule and sepals along
with ciliate margins (H), position of mature fruits on lower side of stem (I), ovoid seeds (J).
Photographed by Iram Mujahid Iqbal.
long, brown-pilose. Leaves alternate (Figure 2D), petiolate; petioles 4–6 mm
long, brown-pilose; blades round to obovate, about 1–1.7 cm long and
about 1.5 cm wide, margins entire, apices round, emarginate (Figure 1C;
Figure 2D), veins of abaxial surfaces sparsely pubescent (Figure 1D).
Flowers axillary, 1–2 per leaf axil, pedicellate (Figure 1E), pedicels sparsely
pilose, 2–5 mm long, becoming reflexed in fruit. Sepals 5, about 2 mm long
4. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
Figure 2. Comparison of Evolvulus nummularius with a closely resembling species, E. alsinoides:
E. alsinoides (A–C): A. habit showing leaves and flower position, B. flower shape, C. fruits
with pubescent sepals. Evolvulus nummularius (D–E): D. habit showing leaves along with
flower position, E. flower shape, F. fruit. Drawings by Iram Mujahid Iqbal
and 1 mm wide, 2 outer, two inner, the fifth overlapping both. Corollas
white, united, deeply 5(–6)-lobed (Figure 2E), tube about 2 mm long, 1 mm
wide, lobes about 3 mm long, emarginate, about 5 mm across, opening at
dawn, closing in strong sunlight, (Figure 1F); Stamens 5, inserted on corolla
tube; filaments about 4 mm long. Ovaries 5-locular glabrous; styles 2-
branched, branches subclavate. Fruits capsules, globose to ovoid (Figure
2F), always bent downwards, about 3 mm in diameter, with 2–4 seeds
(Figure 1G), initially purplish, becoming light brown at maturity (Figure
1H–I); seeds ovoid, about 2 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, straw-colored with
purplish spots (Figure 1J).
5. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
Figure 3. Distribution map of Evolvulus nummularius in District Lahore, Punjab.
Specimens examined:
PAKISTAN. Jhok Reserve Forest, Lahore, September 2016–2017, near
moist area of a riverbank, 31.412°N; 74.130°E, elev. 217 m. University of
the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, May 2017, in the lawns and
along the roadside, 31.493°N; 74.300°E, elev. 210 m. Jallo Park, Lahore,
September 2017, turf grassland, lawns, 31.572°N; 74.477°E, elev. 219 m.
Bagh-Jinnah, Lahore, 2017, lawns and playing grounds, 31.554°N; 74.330°E,
elev. 214 m. (Figure 3). Unfortunately, all specimens were inadvertently
mounted on the same herbarium sheet, LAH#285025, without being
labelled as to their source.
Ecology in Pakistan:
It grows in moist localities along the roadsides, canal banks, riverbanks,
under shady areas, and grassy lawns and athletic fields. At the sites
examined, it continued growing through winter, spring, and summer but
flowering occurred only from April to October. The flowers open in the
late afternoon and early morning but close in intense daylight.
Identification key for Evolvulus in Pakistan:
1. Leaves nearly circular, emarginate; pedicels 1–3 mm long; corollas white
.................................................................................................E. nummularius
2. Leaves oblong, mucronate; pedicels 20–30 mm long; corollas blue...........
........................................................................................................E. alsinoides
6. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
Discussion
Evolvulus nummularius is reported for the first time for the flora of
Pakistan. Five naturalized populations were found in Lahore District,
Punjab. Although native to Mexico to Argentina, it has become established
in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Africa, Malaysia, Ceylon, Bhutan,
India and Nepal (Chen et al. 2009; Tamilarasan et al. 2015; GBIF 2020b). It
is usually known in English as roundleaf bindweed but in Pakistan, especially
Lahore, it is called “hazar dani”, a reference to the large number of small
seeds produced throughout the year.
Four other names have been used for E. nummularius. Two are based on
the same type specimen: Convolvulus nummularius L. and Volvulopsis
nummularia (L.) Roberty (Corrected from V. nummularium, cf. Art. 23.5
of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants
Turland et al. (2018)). The other two names are based on different types.
One, Evolvulus capreolatus Mart. ex Choisy, is invalid because it was cited
as a synonym (Choisy 1845). The other, Evolvulus yunnanensis S.H. Huang,
was treated as a synonym by Fang and Staples (1995). We accept their
judgement because, as authors of the generic treatment in the Flora of
China, they will have examined its type and other specimens initially
identified as E. yunnanenis.
Similar species
Evolvulus nummularius resembles E. alsinoides in being a perennial,
creeping herb but, in E. nummularius, the leaves have truncate to lobed
bases and rounded or emarginate apices (Figure 2) whereas in E. alsinoides
the bases are obtuse-angled and the apices mucronate. The stems and
leaves of both species are pubescent but those of E. nummularius are less
densely so and its trichomes are not spreading. The two species also differ
in shape and color of their floral features. Evolvulus nummularius has
shorter, more sparsely hairy pedicels and glabrous sepals, apart from their
ciliate margins, whereas the sepals of E. alsinoides are hairy over the whole
outer surface (Figure 2). In addition, the corollas of E. nummularius are
white and deeply lobed and sometimes 6-lobed whereas in E. alsinoides the
corollas are blue and always five-lobed (Table 1).
Economic importance
Evolvulus nummularius is used as a vegetable in Assam and Majuli Island
in India (Barua et al. 2007). It is also considered to have medicinal
importance, being used as an anthelmintic, and to treat scorpion stings,
cuts, fever, wounds and burns (Jhinuk et al. 2018) and is used in India as a
mild sedative for the treatment of hysteria and convulsion. In Nepal,
E. nummularius paste is used to treat scabies (Namrata et al. 2014).
7. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
Table 1. Comparative morphology of Evolvulus nummularius and E. alsinoides.
Structure Character Evolvulus nummularius Evolvulus alsinoides
Leaves Length 1–1.7 cm 1–2.5 cm
Shape Nearly circular Oblong
Base Truncate to lobed Obtuse
Tip Emarginate Mucronate
Pubescence Leaves and stem Sparse Dense
Pedicels Length 1–3 mm 20–30 mm
Pubescence Sparsely pilose Densely pilose
Sepals Shape Oblong-ovate Lanceolate
Length 2–4 mm 3–4 mm
Surfaces Glabrous Villous
Margins Ciliate Not ciliate
Corolla Lobing Deeply 5–6-lobed Shallowly 5-lobed
Color White Blue
Diameter 5–6 mm Up to 10 mm
Invasive potential
Although E. nummularius is used as a vegetable and medicine, it is considered
a weed of lawns, grasslands and agricultural lands (Pandey et al. 2011;
Nagaraju et al. 2014; Rahman et al. 2014; Sahu and Barik 2017; Kaur et al.
2018). It is found in all the districts of Bangladesh (Moniruzzaman et al.
2013; Zahra and Rahman 2018). In the Indian States of Tamil Nadu and
Odisha, it has spread throughout the cities (Udayakumar et al. 2011; Panda
et al. 2018). The species is known as an agricultural weed of groundnut,
sugarcane, rice and lentil crops in India (Pragada and Venkaiah 2012;
Talukdar 2013; Nagaraju et al. 2014; Das et al. 2018) and of wheat and
mulberry in Bangladesh (Rahman et al. 2014; Rahman and Mamun 2017).
It has become established on coal soils in dry tropical areas of India (Pandey
et al. 2011; Singh 2012). Evolvulus nummularius is regarded as an invasive
species in Dharwad district and Lucknow, India (Kotresha et al. 2011;
Singh et al. 2015), while recent reports suggest that it is becoming invasive
in forest areas of Jharkand and wetlands of India (Reddy et al. 2009;
Divakara et al. 2013). It is considered a naturalized alien plant in Taiwan
(Wu et al. 2010) and the Tiwi Islands of Australia (Fensham and Cowie 1998).
The introduction pathway of E. nummularius is not known but
apparently, it is mainly a weed of turfgrasses and lawns. It is interesting to
observe that it was first recorded in Ludhiana Punjab, India in 2009 (Kaur
et al. 2018), a location only 98 miles away from the Lahore. Therefore a
possible route of introduction is through India. Its presence in the Jhok
Reserve forest can also be attributed to the river Ravi that comes from
India as water diversion facilitates the spread of alien species (Zhan et al.
2015). Discussions with groundkeepers suggest that the species has only
recently been introduced but it is now naturalized in Lahore city. Its status
as naturalized is confirmed by the presence of established populations in
the studied areas for a few years. It spreads both by seed and by rooting of
its prostrate stems. This vigorous rooting means that the plants form a
8. First record of Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L. in Pakistan
Iqbal et al. (2020), BioInvasions Records (in press)
dense mat-like cover on the ground, which invades and displaces turf
grasses or existing herbs, both in lawns and forest areas. It also means that
it cannot be controlled by mowing. Literature suggests that mowing
sometimes also contributes to the spread of weed seeds due to the adherence
of seeds on the equipment (James et al. 2019).
Eradication of E. nummularius from Pakistan is probably impossible
but, if uncontrolled, it could negatively impact many agricultural systems.
Its presence in protected forest areas could present a serious threat to
Pakistan’s indigenous plant diversity. Additionally, the aesthetic and
athletic value of playing fields is threatened by the rapid spread of E.
nummularius in such habitats. Mowing alone may not be sufficient to
control the spread of this alien plant because of its abundant adventitious
roots and its prostrate habit. The gardeners we spoke with said that an
herbicidal spray “EAGLE” (amidosulforan formulation) is sometimes used
to control it, but the species usually reappears from seeds in the soil seed
bank. It may be that the most effective solution is awareness and vigilance
so that new infestations are eliminated before they become established. To
assist in informing the public and botanists about this new alien species, we
have posted the identification key to the Flora of Pakistan project in
KeyBase (2020) and linked the taxon names to taxon pages generated in
OpenHerbarium (2020).
Acknowledgements
We thank Mr. Shahid Ali for his assistance with fieldwork. We also thank the two reviewers
and the editor for their helpful comments which have helped us develop a more succinct
presentation of our findings.
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Supplementary material
The following supplementary material is available for this article:
Table S1. Distribution of Evolvulus nummularius in District Lahore, Punjab.
