Hiptage benghalensis (L.) Kurz, Malpighiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Hiptage madablota Gaertn.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: feng zheng guo

English: helicopter-flower, hiptage

French: hiptage du bengale, liane de cerf, liane papillon, liane rouge

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "A large, woody, straggling or climbing shrub with young branches being grey tomentose.  The opposite and entire leaves are oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 9-21 cm long and 4-9 cm wide, acute or acuminate, glabrous, and have petioles of c. 1 cm length.  White and fragrant flowers of 2-3 cm diameter are borne in erect, pubescent racemes of 10-20 cm length, the pedicels being 15-20 mm long.  Flowers have a yellow centre and orbicular to elliptic petals that are hairy outside.  Fruits are samaras with three wings each, the middle wing being 4-6 cm long and the lateral wings 2-3 cm long" (Weber, 2003; p. 200).

"Vine-like shrub or liana with scandent branches to 5 m high or more.  Leaves simple, opposite, blade usually elliptic and 6-18 cm long with an attenuate tip.  Flowers intermittently during the year; flowers many, fragrant, borne in compact axillary racemes.  Corolla of five free, elliptic to round, reflexed petals 1-1.7 cm long, white with one petal yellow in the center, margins fringed.  Fruit a samara with three spreading, papery, oblanceolate to elliptic wings 2-5 cm long"  (Whistler, 2000; p. 261).

Habitat/ecology:  "Forests and forest edges, disturbed sites.  Where invasive, the plant climbs over native shrubs and trees, smothering them and preventing their growth and regeneration"  (Weber, 2003; p. 200).  Prefers climates ranging from warm temperate to tropical (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 110).

Dry and moist areas from sea level to 3500 ft. elevation in Hawai‘i (Hawaii‘s Most Invasive Horticultural Plants). In La Réunion, climbs over and smothers native vegetation.

Propagation:  Seeds or cuttings (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 110). The seeds are readily dispersed by wind.

Native range:  India to Southeast Asia and the Philippines, exact native range obscure owing to extensive cultivation; widely cultivated and naturalized (GRIN).

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	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2006) (pp. 3-4) Voucher cited: T. Flynn 7117 (AD, BISH, MO, NY, PTBG, US)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Daehler, Curtis C./Baker, Raymond F. (2006) (p. 8) Vouchers cited: C. Daehler 1064 (BISH), C. Daehler 1065 (HAW), Herbst 656 (HLA), Imada 2001-49 (BISH)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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 cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 110)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 4)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Dense forests, sparse forests, shrub forests of valleys, riverbanks, field margins, roadsides; (100-) 200-1900 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan.
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 192) In thickets or forests.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 48) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Dense forests, sparse forests, shrub forests of valleys, riverbanks, field margins, roadsides; (100-) 200-1900 m.
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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	MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. (1991) (pp. 51-61)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "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	introduced invasive	Lorence, D./Sussman, R. W. (1988) (pp. 187-204)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Kueffer, C./Mauremootoo, J. (2004) (p. 6)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Comments:  A problem species in Hawai‘i. Reported to be a very invasive species on La Réunion and Mauritius (Lorence & Sussman, 1988).

Control: 

Chemical: "Very low volume basal bark applications of triclopyr killed 50% of treated plants. Survivors were plants with larger diameter stems in which the treatment did not cover the circumference of the stem completely" (Motooka et al., 2003).