1. Alternanthera tenella Colla (S-Am.) – A very rare and ephemeral alien. Recently found twice in the vicinity of granaries, probably associated with soyabean importation. Recorded in 2001 in the port of Gent (Rodenhuizedok) and in 2002 in the port of Antwerpen (Kanaaldok) (Verloove 2006).
Alternanthera tenella is closely related to (and sometimes considered to be conspecific with) A. ficoidea. European records of the latter (see for instance van der Meijden & Veldkamp 1970, Clement & Foster 1994) possibly belong to A. tenella (see also Veldkamp 1978).
Selected literature:
Van der Meijden R. & Veldkamp J.F. (1970) Drie voor Nederland nieuwe Amaranthaceae uit de geslachten Gomphrena en Alternanthera. Gorteria 5: 54-60.
Veldkamp J.-F. (1978) A proposal to reject the name Alternanthera ficoidea (L.) Beauv. (Amaranthaceae) in favour of A. tenella Colla. Taxon 27: 310-314.
Clement E.J. & Foster M.C. (1994) Alien plants of the British Isles. BSBI, London: XVIII + 590 p.
Verloove F. (2006) Graanadventieven nieuw voor de Belgische flora, hoofdzakelijk in de periode 2001-2003. Dumortiera 88: 1-6.