Calathea lutea (Aubl.) Schult., Marantaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 8 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Calathea lutea)

Other Latin names:  Calathea cachibou (Jacq.) Lindl. ex Horan.; Calathea discolor G. Mey.; Calathea magnifica C. V. Morton & Skutch; Maranta cachibou Jacq.; Maranta casupo Jacq.; Maranta disticha Buc'hoz; Maranta lutea Aubl.; Phrynium casupo (Jacq.) Roscoe; Phrynium luteum (Aubl.) Sweet; Phyllodes lutea (Aubl.) Kuntze

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Cuban cigar

Unknown: cachibou, calathea, pampano

Habit:  herb

Description:  Calathea lutea "is a robust perennial herb 5-13' tall, with 307 basal leaves and 1 (rarely 2) on the stem. The leaf blade is (7-)12-58" long and (5-)8-24" wide, densley hairy at the tip, the base rounded, the apex rounded to truncate. The upper surface is plain green, the underside waxy white. The 2-6 inflorescences per shoot are cylindrical, 3.5-11.5" long and 1-2" wide, with 7-18 leathery, persisten, bronze to reddish brown bracts. The petals are purple-brown, the sterile stamens yellow." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 703)

Habitat/ecology:  "[Calathea lutea] is widespread in open, wet, often disturbed sites in tropical lowlands. . . ." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 703)

"Principally in coastal marshes and disturbed areas along the coast [315]. Almost never in the forest except in tree-fall areas; occasional on creek beds and shoreline soil deposits [315]." (Useful Tropical Plants)

In cultivation, Calathea lutea "does best in full sun but can take light shade and needs protection from the wind." (A Tropical Garden Flora, pp. 704)

Propagation:  Propagation: seed; division; cuttings of basal shoots. (Useful Tropical Plants)

Native range:  Central America, Brazil and the West Indies (Hortipedia)

"[Calathea lutea] is widespread. . .from southern Mexico to Panama, northern South America and the West Indies, and eastern South America to Argentina." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 703)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  If you know of other invaded habitats or impacts, please let us know.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 703)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim (year unknown) as of 20181101, this page/query returned 3 image results for Calathea lutea from "Garden of Eden Keanae, Maui, Hawaii" on March 30, 2011
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	cultivated	Wikimedia Commons (year unknown) accessed 20181101, cultivated per https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calathea_lutea_0zz.jpg (etc.) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Central America Central America (non-Pacific rim)	Belize	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	GRIN (year unknown) "Mexico (s.)", accessed 20181101
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	cultivated	Wikimedia Commons (year unknown) accessed 20181101, cultivated per https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calathea_lutea_1c.JPG (etc.) accessed 20181101
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Niissalo, Matti A./Khew, Gillian S./Webb, Edward L./Leong- Škorničková, Jana (2016) (p. 218) accessed 20181101
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador	native	GRIN (year unknown) "Ecuador (w.)", accessed 20181101
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Dominican Republic	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Guadeloupe	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Martinique	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico	native	USDA/NRCS (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	St. Lucia	cultivated	Graveson, Roger (2012) accessed 20181101
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Trinidad	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
Europe Europe	Monaco	introduced cultivated	Monaco Nature Encyclopedia (year unknown) accessed 20181101
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Brazil	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	French Guiana	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Guyana	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Suriname	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 704) accessed 20181101, "southern Florida, Hawai'i, and more tropical climates"
Venezuela Venezuela	Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown) accessed 20181101

Comments:  present in Hawaii (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 704)

Cultivation details: "A plant of the tropics, it can be grown in subtropical areas if given some protection in the cool season [200]. Prefers a humus-rich, moist soil and a position with some shade [200]. Plants flower and fruit throughout the year in the tropics, but most especially in the early rainy season [315]." (Useful Tropical Plants)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Calathea lutea, please let us know.