Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Pentas lanceolata
(Forssk.) Deflers, Rubiaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Mussaenda luteola Delile; Ophiorrhiza lanceolata Forssk.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: wu xing hua

English: Egyptian star-cluster, Lady Fletcher, pentas, star-cluster

Fijian: sinu, sunu vula

Maori (Cook Islands): tiale valeau

Tongarevan (spoken): tiale sina, tiare vareau

Tongarevan (written): tiare sina

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Subshrubs, 30-70 cm tall; branches quadrangular, moderately to densely pilosulous to villous often becoming glabrescent with age. Leaves opposite; petiole 0.5-3 cm, pilosulous to villous; blade drying papery, oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 5-14 x 2-5.5 cm, adaxially scabrous or villous to glabrescent, abaxially densely villous or hirtellous at least along principal veins, base cuneate to obtuse, apex acute or shortly acuminate; secondary veins 8-10 pairs; stipules truncate to broadly rounded, 1.5-2 mm, villous, bristles 1-5, 1-4 mm. Inflorescence densely pilosulous to villous; peduncle 3-12 mm; branched portion congested-cymose often becoming lax, 1.5-4 x 1.5-4 cm; bracts narrowly triangular to linear, 0.5-1.5 mm. Flowers sessile or subsessile, distylous. Calyx densely hirtellous or villous; ovary portion subglobose to obovoid, ca. 1 mm; limb deeply lobed; lobes narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic or narrowly spatulate, 2-8 mm, usually unequal on an individual flower with nearly this entire size range found on some flowers, acute. Corolla pale purple to pink, red, white, or yellow, salverform, sparsely hirtellous to glabrescent outside; tube slender except rather abruptly swollen in throat in long-styled form (around stamens), 17-20 mm, densely barbate in throat; lobes elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, 3-4 mm, acute to obtuse. Capsules obovoid, 4-6 x 4-6 mm, stiffly papery to woody, with beak 1-2 mm tall; seeds 0.5-1 mm"  (Flora of China online).

Habitat/ecology:  "Thrives in full or filtered sun and in well-drained, organically enriched soil.  Plants require ample water and do not grow well without it"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 496).

In Fiji, "often abundantly cultivated in towns and villages and European gardens at elevations from near sea level to about 250 m"  (Smith, 1988; p. 351).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical Africa, Yemen; cultivated elsewhere in tropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands)
Norfolk Islands
Norfolk Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Australian Biological Resources Study (2013)
"An escape from cultivation, becoming naturalised". Voucher cited: W.R. Sykes NI 660 (CHR).
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands
Rota Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (pp. 273-274)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands
Rota Island introduced
Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 66)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands
Tinian Island   Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Cook Islands
Northern Cook Islands
Penrhyn (Tongareva) Island introduced
cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
‘Atiu Island introduced
cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Mangaia Island introduced
cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Ma‘uke Island introduced
cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Miti‘aro Island introduced
cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Rarotonga Island introduced
cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
San Cristóbal Group
San Cristóbal Island introduced
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands
Pohnpei Island introduced
cultivated
Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 130)
Voucher cited: F.R. Fosberg 58441 (BISH)
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Ovalau Island introduced
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1988) (p. 351)
Vouchers cited: Smith 7488, Smith 7492
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island introduced
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1988) (p. 351)
Vouchers cited: DA 16722, DA 16775, DA 12118, DA 12120, DA 16461, DA 12617
French Polynesia
Gambier Islands
Taravai Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata
French Polynesia
Marquesas Islands
Hiva Oa Island introduced
cultivated
Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
Voucher cited: L. M. Dunn 496 (BISH, P, PAP, PTBG, US)
French Polynesia
Marquesas Islands
Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata
French Polynesia
Marquesas Islands
Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island introduced
cultivated
Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
Voucher cited: S. P. Perlman 18373 (BISH, P, PAP, PTBG, US)
French Polynesia
Marquesas Islands
Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island introduced
cultivated
Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
Voucher cited: S. P. Perlman 19062 (BISH, NY, P, PAP, PTBG, US)
French Polynesia
Marquesas Islands
Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island introduced
cultivated
Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
Voucher cited: L. M. Dunn, D. H. Lorence 243 (P, PAP, PTBG, US)
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Huahine Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata. Voucher cited: J. Florence & R. Tahuaitu 11662 (PAP)
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Moorea Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Raiatea (Havai) Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata, subsp. quartiniana. Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3401 (PAP), P. Morat 7021 (PAP)
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Tahiti Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata, subsp. quartiniana. Voucher cited: J. Florenece 2455 (PAP)
French Polynesia
Tuamotu Archipelago
Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata. Voucher cited: J. Florence 3067 (PAP)
French Polynesia
Tuamotu Archipelago
Niau Atoll introduced
invasive
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata. Voucher cited: J. Florence 10201 (PAP)
French Polynesia
Tuamotu Archipelago
Tikehau (Tikahau) Atoll introduced
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Voucher cited: J. Florence 7116 (PAP)
French Polynesia
Austral (Tubuai) Islands
Raivavae (Raevavae) Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata
French Polynesia
Austral (Tubuai) Islands
Rurutu Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata
French Polynesia
Austral (Tubuai) Islands
Tubuai Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
subsp. lanceolata
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 66)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Hawai‘i (Big) Island introduced
invasive
Nagata, Kenneth M. (1995) (p. 12)
Voucher cited: Nagata 2650 (HLA), Nagata 2651 (HLA)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Maui Island introduced
invasive
Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 24)
East Maui. Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 981110-3 (BISH), Starr & Martz 000116-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Moloka‘i Island introduced
invasive
Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (p. 21)
Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H80503 (BISH)
Kiribati
Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands
Tarawa Atoll introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (pp. 273-274)
Marshall Islands
Ralik Chain
Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (pp. 273-274)
Marshall Islands
Ratak Chain
Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll introduced
cultivated
Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 121)
Nauru
Nauru Island
Nauru Island   Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
cultivated
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 123)
Vouchers cited: ssp. cymosa var. carnea, MacKee 21958; ssp. quartiniana var. alba, MacKee 21957
Niue
Niue
Niue Island introduced
cultivated
Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 180)
Vouchers cited: CHR 170405, CHR 170406
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Koror (Oreor) Island introduced
Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2010) (p. 40)
Voucher cited: Tim Flynn 6339 (PTBG)
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Palau Islands (main island group) introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (pp. 273-274)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
China
China
China (People's Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Fujian, Guangdong, Xinjiang
China
China
Hong Kong introduced
cultivated
Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 270)
Ornamental.
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 68)
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. 122)
Comoros
Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands   Smith, Albert C. (1988) (p. 351)
French Territory of Mayotte
Mayotte Islands
Mayotte Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Oppenheimer, Hank (2010)
Envahissant
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands
Seychelles Islands introduced
Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Pentas lanceolata, please let us know.


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 10 AUG 2011 and was last updated on 19 AUG 2011.