First report of Amaranthus tuberculatus in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Amaranthus tuberculatus (Amaranthaceae) is a small-seeded, summer annual species native to North America. The species has become a major weed of agricultural fields and other disturbed habitats and it has been introduced in parts of North America far outside its original range. The species has many weedy traits including high seed production, an extended emergence pattern and high growth rates that makes it highly competitive and harmful to crops and difficult to control. At present, transient and established occurrences of the species are known from a number of EPPO countries, mainly on ruderal sites and along riverbanks, and to a lesser extent in crop fields. In Italy, alongside the river Po, A. tuberculatus has invaded native riparian herbaceous habitats. A. tuberculatus was discovered in 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the vicinity of Tuzla city (northestern Bosnia) making this the first record of the species in the Balkans. In total three mature female plants were found at different locations around the city. One plant had ripening fruit though it is important to note the species is dioecious. The authors suggest it is likely that male plants are present in the area but were not observed during the survey.
Sources
Maslo S, Šaric Šarajlic N (2020) Rough-fruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus (Amaranthaceae): a new alien species in the flora of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans. Phytologia Balcanica 26, 25-28.