Eugenia uniflora L., Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))
Reject, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. (Florida)))

Other Latin names:  Eugenia brasiliana (L.) Aubl.; Eugenia myrtifolia Salisb.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: pitanga

Chinese: hong guo zi

English: Barbados cherry, Brazil-cherry, French cherry, Surinam cherry, cayenne cherry, pitanga, red Brazil cherry

French: cerise côtelée, cerise créole, cerise de Cayenne, cerisier carré, cerisier de Cayenne, roussaille

Maori (Cook Islands): menemene, venevene

Niuean: kafika, kafika palangi, kafika papalangi

Portuguese: pitanga

Samoan: vine

Spanish: cerezo de Cayena, nagapiry, pitanga

Tongan: pomikanite

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Small tree or shrub, young leaves coppery-pink; mature leaves opposite, ovate or narrowly ovate, subglossy, paler beneath, 3-7 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, lateral nerves about 7-9 pairs, margins often slightly and irregularly wavy, or entire; petioles 1-3 mm long; flowers commonly axillary, solitary or fascicled, peduncles slender, 1.5-3 cm long, with small bracts; calyx 4-lobed, lobes 3-4 mm long; petals 4, white, thin, fugacious, nearly 1 cm long, obovate; stamens many (about 50), 8 mm long; ovary slightly ridged; fruit a succulent berry with usually 8 deep longitudinal grooves and as many ridges, 1.5 cm long, 2 cm wide, red or very dark red when ripe 1-2-seeded, crowned by calyx-limb, juicy, edible, acid."  (Stone, 1970; p. 452).

"Arbuste à petit arbre de 2 à 7 m de hauteur, reconnaissable à ses petites feuilles ovales, un peu coriaces, ses fleurs solitaires blanches, ses petits fruits charnus globuleux avec 8 côtes saillantes, de couleur jaune devenant rouge vif à maturité"  (Meyer, 2008; p. 36).

Habitat/ecology:  "Coastal scrub, forests and forest edges, riverbanks.  A fast growing species, growing best in rich, well-drained soils.  It forms dense thickets that displace native plants and prevents their regeneration"  (Weber, 2003; p. 164).  Prefers fertile, moist soils and partial shade (Bodkin, 1986, cited in Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 108). 

In Hawai‘i, "very sparingly naturalized in low elevation mesic sites, especially valley floors, 30-730 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 961).

Propagation:  Seed, probably spread by birds.

Native range:  Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay; cultivated and naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 35)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) "It has been collected on Lord Howe Is., but without information as to its spontaneity". Voucher cited: A.C. Beauglehole 5852 (MEL)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) "Cultivated, escaped and now self-sown in at least one locality". W.R. Sykes NI 528 (CHR)
Chile (offshore islands) Rapa Nui (Easter) Island	Rapa Nui (Easter) Island (Isla de Pasqua)	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2008) (pp. 36, 42)
Cook Islands Northern Cook Islands	Manihiki Atoll		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 81939) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7) Reported to be present by the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Project.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Palmerston (Avarau) Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 89) "Potential invader"
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 164819) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 116)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 373) Perhaps sparingly naturalized.
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 20) Voucher cited: Fosberg 11008 (BISH)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: D.H. Lorence 6213 (PAP), J. Florence, D.H. Lorence & S.P. Perlman 9555 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 601841) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence, D.H. Lorence, S.P. Perlman & W.L. Wagner 9613 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 601908) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 4165 (PAP), J. Florence 4240 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 555146) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 558061) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 40849) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 53) Voucher cited: Fosberg 64947 (US) Possibly naturalized.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: F.R. Fosberg 64947 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1985) (voucher ID: BISH 614455) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 81)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1967) (voucher ID: BISH 164833) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 492711) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 197) Voucher cited: BRY 26566
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 197)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3659b (PAP), F. R. Fosberg 63754 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 492783) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 607490) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 3659b (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Takapoto Atoll	introduced cultivated	Sachet, M-H. (1983) (p. 31) Voucher cited: Sachet 2078 (US)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5766 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 6169 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 551111) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence & W.R. Sykes 11124 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 644219) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 452)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 190)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1964) (voucher ID: BISH 164933) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (year unknown) (voucher ID: BISH 164934) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 961)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 961)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 961)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2010) (p. 65) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 070403-04 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 16) Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H30103 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer H100114 (BISH), Starr & Martz 011025-2 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 961)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 961)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2010) (p. 12) Voucher cited: A. Lau & D. Frohlich 2008050201 (BISH)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 101)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 106) Voucher cited: MacKee 5277
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 106) Voucher cited: Baumann 14532
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 106) Vouchers cited: Däniker 1967 (Z), Schmid 2337 (NOU), Blanchon 1556 (NOU)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 106) Vouchers cited: MacKee 5502, MacKee 21048, MacKee 40702
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 130) Mostly cultivated. Voucher cited: CHR 170464
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 23)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 91) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9572 (BISH), Yuncker 9982 (BISH) "Occasional about dwellings and in theicckets near villages".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 14)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Miles, Joel (year unknown)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 408) Only in cultivation.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Waterhouse, Barbara (year unknown)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 103) "Gardens".
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced cultivated	St. John, H. (1987) (p. 44) Vouchers cited: Ross 7, Fosberg & B. Christian 11176
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Paulay, Gustav/Spencer, T./Oliver, Royce (1989) (p. 14) Voucher cited: Paulay, Spencer & Schuster 687 (US)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence & S. Waldren 11049 (PAP) Naturalisée, menace pour la biodiversité.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1931) (voucher ID: BISH 164865) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 164862) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 164863) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1931) (voucher ID: BISH 403813) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417643) Taxon name on voucher: Eugenia uniflora L.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 53)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Midway Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 961)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-8)

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)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 3)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Cultivated in Fujian, Sichuan and Yunnan.
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 162)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 40) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 113)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé/Naturalisé/Subspontané?"
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Kueffer, C./Mauremootoo, J. (2004) (pp. 7, 8)
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced cultivated	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Spreading on Mangaia, Cook Islands (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Control: 

Physical:  Hand pull or dig out seedlings and young trees.

Chemical:  Cut larger trees and treat the stumps with herbicide (Weber, 2003; p. 164).