Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav., Cyclanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Panama hat plant, carludovica palm, jipijapa

French: carludovique palmée

Maori (Cook Islands): Panamā

Spanish: bombonaje, cade, chidra, paja toquilla, palma de sombrero, palma jipijapa, toquilla

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Plant up to 4 (-5) m high.  Leaf blades generally 50-80 cm long.  Petiole up to 3.5 (-4) m long.  Peduncle during anthesis 30-50 cm long, in fruiting stage as much as 1 m long.  Spathes 3-4, the lowermost or the two lower spathes green, coarse, often provided with a foliaceous, palmate appendage the upper spathes creamy white or greenish white, petalaceous.  Spadix during anthesis 9-16 (-22) cm long, in fruiting stage as much as 30 cm long.  Staminate flowers generally 3.5-4.5 mm long; receptacle 2-3 mm diameter; stamens (30-) 40-55, anthers 1.2-1.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm broad.  Pistillate flowers during anthesis 3.5-4 mm broad, in fruiting stage as much as 10 mm broad; tepals during anthesis obtusely triangular, *± connate at base, distinctly surpassing the stigmas, in fruiting stage subtruncate to truncate, connate to about half their length, as high as the stigmas or, more often, somewhat lower; stigmas seen from above ovate to suborbicular, short and obtuse, entirely encircled by the tepals; staminodes white to yellowish white, 3-6 cm long. (Harling, 1973)

Habitat/ecology:  (No habitat/ecology information available.)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Central America, Colombia to Bolivia (Harling, 1973).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 14)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 14)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 109827) Taxon name on voucher: Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 89) Presence not verified.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Lorence, David (year unknown) Cultivated around Awak per Lorence and Flynn, pers. com.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 40) Invasive species.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 35)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 4004 (PAP) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 150)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 89)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1918) (voucher ID: BISH 109829) Taxon name on voucher: Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 225) One occurrence. Voucher cited: CHR 170306.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 28) One occurrence. Voucher cited: Yuncker 9983 (BISH)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9) Voucher: Flynn 6933 (PTBG)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 427917) Taxon name on voucher: Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 699285) Taxon name on voucher: Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 323) Taxon name on voucher: Carludovica palmata

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Probably naturalized.
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 23) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	Harling, Gunnar (1973) (p. 6)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	Harling, Gunnar (1973) (pp. 5-6)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	Harling, Gunnar (1973) (p. 6)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Cultivated and small infestations in Vailima Reserve and elsewhere, Upolu, Samoa.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Carludovica palmata, please let us know.