Ochna thomasiana Engl. & Gilg, Ochnaceae

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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)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Mickey Mouse plant, bird's-eye bush

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrub to 15 feet tall; twigs reddish brown with whitish warts (lenticels).  Leaves sessile; blades ± broadly elliptic, 1.25-2 inches x 0.1-1 inch, base cordate and clasping stem (auriculate), ciliate, margins undulate, apex tapering and mucronate.  Inflorescence a cluster of lowers, terminal on short lateral branches.  Flower sepals green; petals obovate, less than 1 inch long, yellow; carpels to 12.  Fruit flattened and ± cylindrical, black, erect on crimson to red receptacle with boat-shaped, reflexed red sepals"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 437).

Compared to Ochna thomasiana, Ochna kirkii "has larger leaves (2-3.25 inches long, 0.75-1.25 inches wide) that are broadly oblong, oblanceolate, or obovate, provided with many cilia around the margin on mature leaves; and smaller fruiting sepals (0.4-0.5 inch long, 0.15-0.25 inch wide).  Young leaves of O. thomasiana are ciliate around the entire margin, but at maturity only 5-8 cilia persist near the blade base" (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 437).

Habitat/ecology:  Dry to moist disturbed forests at 0-1000 feet elevation in Hawai‘i. "On windward O‘ahu, O. Thomasiana is widespread and abundant as an understory shrub in disturbed mesic forests" (Imada et al., 2000; p. 13).

Propagation:  Seed, probably spread by birds (Staples et al., 2000; p. 25).

Native range:  Eastern tropical Africa (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 437).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 326) As Ochna kirkii
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	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) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 326) As Ochna kirkii
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J.-Y. Meyer 582 (PAP), J.-Y. Meyer 583 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 326) As Ochna kirkii. Voucher cited: BRY 25454
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2415 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493127) Taxon name on voucher: Ochna thomasiana Engl. & Gilg
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2012) (p. 41) Voucher cited: A. Lau & D. Frohlich 2010021902 (BISH) Escaping cultivation and sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (pp. 37-38) Voucher cited: Starr, Starr, Anderson & Anderson 050623-3 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 17) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H19904 (NYBG), Oppenheimer H10017 (BISH), Oppenheimer H50108 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer H60106 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (pp. 14-15) East Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer & F. Duvall H50206 (BISH, PTBG), P. Welton & B. Haus 2144 (BSIH), P. Welton & R. Parry 2155 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2000) (p. 13) Vouchers cited: B. Waters s.n. (BISH 653561), G. Staples, S. Lum & K. Ahsing 1170 (BISH), G. Staples 1193 (BISH), B. Waters s.n. (BISH 655126)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ochna thomasiana, please let us know.