Phytolacca octandra L., Phytolaccaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Phytolacca icosandra L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Southern pokeberry, inkweed, phytolacca, pokeweed, red inkplant, scorpion tail, tropical pokeweed

Spanish: almorsaca, jaboncillo, mazorquilla

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Branched perennial herbs 4-6 (-15) dm tall; stems often reddish, angular.  Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 6-22 cm long, 1.7-7.5 cm wide, usually glabrous, sometimes lower surface sparsely puberulent along veins, margins entire, petioles 1-3 cm long. Flowers in racemes 7-14 cm long, usually moderately puberulent, peduncles 0.5-2 (-3) cm long, pedicels 0.5-2 mm long, bract 2-2.5 mm long, bracteoles ca. 1 mm long; sepals 5, white to sometimes dark pink, oblong to ovate, ca. 2-3 mm long; stamens 8-10, in a single whorl; ovary 7-8 (-10)-carpellate, the carpels connate throughout.  Berries purple, 7-8 (-10)-ribbed, ca. 4-6 mm in diameter.  Seeds black, lenticular, smooth, ca. 2 mm in diameter" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1015-1016).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in dry pastures and mesic to wet forest, 10-1,280 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1015-1016). In New Caledonia, "mauvaise herbe longtemps présente mais jamais commune" (MacKee, 1994; p. 114). In New Zealand, "most abundant in cut-over scrub and forest where it can form dense stands, often in partial shade, but in moister areas commonest in more open habitats such as waste places, river beds, old pastures, neglected or abandoned fields and gardens" (Webb et al., 1988; p. 941).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Neotropics.

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	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 10) "A common weed, introduced many years ago". Vouchers cited: M. Lazarides 8049 (CANB, K), P.S. Green 1449 (A)
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Alcedo, Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Cerro Azul, Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1015-1016)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1015-1016)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1015-1016)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1015-1016) Voucher cited: Faurie 1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1015-1016)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Loyauté (Loyalty Islands)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 114) Vouchers cited: Däniker 2655 (Z), Sarasin 461 (Z)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 114) Vouchers cited: Deplanche 93 s.loc., Delacour s.n., Balansa 3030, Franc 590, MacKee 3903, Toutain 3376 (NOU), Suprin 1852

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)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 279)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 6)
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)	El Salvador (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)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (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)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 941)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control: 

Physical:  "Pull out small plants: Leave on site to rot down., minimise disturbance.

Chemical:  1. Slash stems close to ground. Leave on site to rot down. 2. Cut down and paint stump (all year round): metsulferon-methyl 600g/kg (1g/L)"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).