Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Solanum mauritianum
Scop., Solanaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 24 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Solanum auriculatum Ait.; Solanum verbascifolium L. var. auriculatum (Ait.) Ktze.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bugweed, tree tobacco, wild tobacco, woolly nightshade

French: bringelier marron, faux tubac, tabac marron

Hawaiian: pua nānā honua

Maori (Cook Islands): ‘ava‘ava, rau ‘ava‘ava

Tongan: pula, to‘uloku

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrubs or small trees 2-4 m tall, branched above to form a rounded canopy, unarmed, all parts densely pubescent with sessile to long-stalked stellate hairs, loose and floccose on young growth.  Leaves paler on lower surface, simple, alternate, elliptic, up to 30 cm long and 12 cm wide on young vigorous growth, usually ca 18 cm long and ca 7 cm wide, on mature stems margins entire, apex acuminate, base cuneate, often oblique, petioles 3-9 cm long, each with 1-2 smaller auriculate leaves in axils, these sessile, rounded, sometime absent from weak or distal shoots.  Flowers perfect, actinomorphic, numerous in branched corymbs, peduncles up to 15 cm long to first fork, pedicels 2-3 mm long; calyx tube short, 2-3 mm long, the lobes narrowly triangular, 2-3 mm long; corolla lilac blue with a pale star-shaped area at base, stellate, 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter; stamens 5, inserted low on corolla tube; filaments ca 1 mm long; anthers oblong, 2-3.5 mm long, opening by terminal pores; ovary densely pubescent; style pubescent in lower part, 5-7 mm long; stigma green, terminal. Berries dull yellowish, succulent, globose, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, pubescent at least in early stages.  Seeds numerous, flattened, 1.5-2 mm long, testa minutely reticulate.  Self-compatible" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1271, 1273).

Habitat/ecology:  "Grass- and heathland, riparian habitats, wet forests, coastal beaches.  This shade tolerant shrub grows to dense thickets shading out all other vegetation.  It primarily colonizes disturbed sites and its spread is  promoted by fire.  Seed germination is enhanced after fire, and firres often lead to mass germination, resulting in a dense cover of seedlings"  (Weber, 2003; p. 406).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized on slopes and ridges in disturbed wet forest" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1271, 1273).  In Fiji, "sparingly naturalized near sea level"  (Smith, 1991; p. 9). In Tonga, "in thickets and open second-growth forests and waste areas" (Yuncker, 1959; pp. 238-239). In New Caledonia, "localement abondant, notamment sur pistes forestières abandonnées" (MacKee, 1994; p. 132).

Propagation:  "Seeds are dispersed by birds.  The shrub resprouts prlifically frum the base and trunk if damaged"  (Weber, 2003; p. 406).

Native range:  Uruguay and southeastern Brazil (Smith, 1991; p. 9).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands)
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island introduced
Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 208)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands)
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island introduced
invasive
Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 21)
"A frequent and serious weed". Vouchers cited: J. Pickard s.n. (NSW), J. Pickard in A.N. Rodd 1401 (NSW), J. Pickard 2948 (NSW)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands)
Norfolk Islands
Norfolk Island introduced
invasive
Ziesing, P. (1997) (pp. 34-35)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands)
Norfolk Islands
Norfolk Island introduced
invasive
Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 11)
"A frequent and serious weed". Vouchers cited: G. Uhe 1107 (K), W.G. Milne 5 (K)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Aitutaki Atoll introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 77)
Voucher: Flynn 7104 (PTBG, BISH, US)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Aitutaki Atoll   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 398)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island introduced
invasive
Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 89)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island   McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 181813)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 181814)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 420151)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 665157)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Fiji Islands introduced
invasive
Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 9)
Voucher cited: DA 13938
French Polynesia
French Polynesia Islands
French Polynesia Islands   Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 65)
French Polynesia
Marquesas Islands
Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Adventice
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
O‘ahu Island introduced
invasive
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1271, 1273)
Voucher cited: Rock 1132 (NSW)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Islands introduced
invasive
Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 100)
"Forestry trails, edges"
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Islands introduced
invasive
Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe (1996) (p. 383)
Localement abondante, notamment sur pistes forestières abandonnées.
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
invasive
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 132)
Vouchers cited: Pancher s.n., Le Rat 414, Däniker 1851, Virot 1085, Sarlin 262, MacKee 20649
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 401971)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum auriculatum
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands introduced
invasive
Shine, C./Reaser, J. K./Gutierrez, A. T., eds. (2003) (p. 166)
Dominant invader.
Tonga
Ha‘apai Group
Nomuka Island introduced
invasive
Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 238-239)
Voucher cited: Yuncker 15818
Tonga
Ha‘apai Group
Nomuka Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 181875)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Tonga
Tonga Islands
Tonga Islands introduced
invasive
Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 238-239)
"Throughout Tonga".
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
‘Eua Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 9)
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
‘Eua Island   Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 74)
Voucher cited: Parks 16086
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
‘Eua Island introduced
invasive
Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 238-239)
Vouchers cited: Parks 16086, Yuncker 15325
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
‘Eua Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1926) (voucher ID: BISH 181874)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
‘Eua Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 181876)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 9)
Voucher: Flynn 6828 (PTBG, MO, US)
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island   Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 74)
Vouchers cited: Lawrence 93, Soakai 716
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island introduced
invasive
Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 238-239)
Voucher cited: Yuncker 15043
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1958) (voucher ID: BISH 41169)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 41371)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 181877)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 255)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum
Tonga
Vava‘u Group
Vava‘u Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 9)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Australia
Australia (continental)
Australia (continental) introduced
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized
Australia
Australia (continental)
Queensland introduced
invasive
Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 7)
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand (country) introduced
invasive
Owen, S. J. (1997)
Naturalized
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand (country) introduced
invasive
Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 1246)
"Around plantations, forest margins, scrub, waste places and similar open situations around settlements".
Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
La Réunion (France)
La Réunion Island
La Réunion Island introduced
invasive
Lavergne, Christophe (2006)
"Cultivé/très envahissant"
La Réunion (France)
La Réunion Island
La Réunion Island introduced
invasive
Kueffer, C./Lavergne, C. (2004) (p. 4)
La Réunion (France)
La Réunion Island
La Réunion Island introduced
invasive
Baret, Stephane/Rouget, Mathieu/Richardson, David M./Lavergne, Christophe/Egoh, Benis/Dupont, Joel/Strasberg, Dominique (2006) (p. 758)
Mauritius
Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)
Mauritius Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1994) (voucher ID: PTBG 16551)
Taxon name on voucher: Solanum mauritianum Scop.
French Territory of Mayotte
Mayotte Islands
Mayotte Island introduced
invasive
Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013)
Envahissant principalement dans les milieux perturbé's.

Comments:  Moderately invasive on Rarotonga, Cook Islands (Meyer, 2000; p. 89). Invasive on Tonga (Space & Flynn, 2001). South African noxious weed (Henderson, 1995; p. 177).

Control: 

Physical:  "Burning is used to kill the plants but may enhance seed germination.  Scattered seedlings can be pulled or dug out.

Chemical:  Larger shrubs and trees can be cut and the cut stumps treated with herbicide.  Follow-up programs are necessary to treat regrowth and seedlings"  (Weber, 2003; p. 406).

"1. Cut and squirt (all year round): make cuts at regular intervals around the trunk, apply undiluted Tordon Brushkiller (1.5ml per cut).
2. Cut and paint stumps (all year round): Tordon Brushkiller or triclopyr 600 EC (100ml/L) or Vigilant gel.
3. Frilling (all year round): Tordon Brushkiller (100ml /L) or triclopyr 600 g/L (100ml/L) or Yates Woody Weedkiller (200ml/L).
4. Injection method: use either 10 mm wide holes drilled at 45 degree angle down into trunk 50 mm deep spaced at 50 mm around trunk, or a series of 80 mm wide blazes cut to a depth of 15-20 mm, spaced at 20-40 mm. Fill each with Vigilant gel.
5. Spray: Tordon Brushkiller (25ml/10L) or triclopyr 600 EC (60ml/10L) or triclopyr 300 EC (12ml/L)"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 1 JAN 1999 and was last updated on 31 DEC 2011.