This pantropical rhizomatous weed has spread from se. Asian islands, often in assocication with horticulture and agricultural development (FNA 2). It is established at many sites scattered across southeastern states (W). In Ky. it was unknown before 2010 but was recently collected from HARD for KSNPC (M. Hines, pers., comm.), from TODD (Gorman et al. 2011) and from TRIG for APSC (D. Estes & J. Shaw, pers. comm.). At all sites, plants were found in disturbed mesic woods, within 10-100 m of a field or roadside.