Family: Asteraceae

Origin, Description & Uses:
Elephantopus mollis, commonly known as elephant’s foot, false tobacco, or tobacco weed, is a low-growing perennial herb native to tropical regions of the Americas. It is easily recognized by its basal rosette of broad, rough-textured leaves that spread close to the ground and resemble the shape of an elephant’s foot. Slender stems rise above the leaves and produce clusters of small purple flowers. The plant thrives in disturbed areas, lawns, pastures, roadsides, and open forests. In some parts of the world it has been used in traditional herbal medicine and occasionally occurs as a weed in agricultural areas.

Risks & Threats:
Elephantopus mollis is naturalized across the Hawaiian Islands (Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi) and possesses traits that raise concern for tropical island ecosystems. It spreads readily by seed and can establish quickly in disturbed sites, lawns, and open natural areas, where it may form dense ground cover that competes with native plants. Its ability to persist in a variety of habitats allows it to expand into natural ecosystems, potentially altering plant communities and reducing native biodiversity.

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in wet tropical climates
  
• Widely naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands and elsewhere
  
• Pasture weed that reduces forage for livestock
  
• Environmental weed that threatens endangered species
  
• Other Elephantopus species have become invasive
  
• Relatively unpalatable to livestock
  
• Hairs can cause skin irritation
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Able to form dense ground cover
  
• Reproduces by seed
  
• Seeds dispersed by wind, water, attached to animals, machinery and probably as a contaminant of other pasture seed
  
• Prolific seed production (densities unknown)
  
• Seeds may persist in soil for 1-2 years

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Medicinal uses
  
• Reported to be indifferent to light requirements, but appears to thrive in high light environments
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control
  
• Cultivation and fire may provide effective control
  
• Biocontrol agents released (effectiveness uncertain)