Artemisia verlotiorum Lamotte (Anthemideae, Asteraceae), an invasive alien from the South African list of prohibited plants, is already present in South Africa

ABSTRACT The Eurasian species Artemisia vulgaris L. has been reported from the Eastern Cape Province (Stutterheim District) in South Africa since at least half a century. However, examination of relevant herbarium specimens has demonstrated that the South African plant material belongs to a morphologically similar East Asian species, A. verlotiorum. It is included in the South African Alien and Invasive Species Lists as a prohibited species absent in the country. However, judging from available data, in South Africa it has become a locally naturalised weed of cultivated land and apparently is difficult to eradicate. A. verlotiorum indeed is a pernicious weed in many regions of the world, appearing to be much more invasive than A. vulgaris, especially in warm-temperate and subtropical climates. Characteristics useful for distinguishing these two species are provided.