Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

  [   PIER species lists  ]   [   PIER home  ]

Prunus grisea
(C.Mll.) Kalkman, Rosaceae
No images for this taxon


Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Pygeum griseum Blume ex Müll. Berol.; Pygeum latifolium Miq.; Pygeum preslii Merr.

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Tree or shrubTwigs pubescent to puberulous, rapidly glabrescent.  Leaves usually elliptic to oblong, sometimes ovate to lanceolate, 2-20 by 1-9 cm, index 1 1/2-3 1/2, base rounded or acute, apex usually acuminate, sometimes (in var. microphylla and in New Guinea specimens of far. grisea) obtuse, sparsely pubescent to glabrous on both sides; nerves (4-) 5-9 (-11) pairs, flat to impressed above, prominent to prominulous beneath, venation inconspicuous to invisible; basal glands 2 (0-4), flat, additional glands usually present; petiole 1/4-1 1/2 (-2) cm, pubescent to puberulous, more or less glabrescent.  Stipules 1 1/2-8 by 1/4-1 3/4 mm, index 2-8 (-12), pubescent to glabrous outside, usually glabrous inside, margin usually glandular (in Philippine specimens of var. grisea sometimes distinctly glandular-serrate).  Racemes solitary, in axils of extant or fallen leaves, 1/2-6 1/2 cm; peduncle 0-1 cm; rachis (sparsely) pubescent.  Bracts up to 2 1/2 mm, usually caducous, the basal ones often with tridentate apex, in Philippine specimens of var. grisea the bracts sometimes large, up to 9 mm long.  Pedicels 0-7 mm, (sparsely) pubescent.  Hypanthium 1 12-4 mm high, pubescent outside, sometimes only sparsely so, entirely glabrous inside or with hairs on bottom.  Perianth segments 6-13, subequal, or more or less distinctly differentiated as sepals and petals, 1/2-2 mm long.  Stamens 15-50; filaments up to 6 mm, glabrous; anthers 1/4-3/4 mm long, in var. microphylla rarely longer.  Ovary usually glabrous, but sometimes with some hairs, rarely (Java specimens of var. grisea especially) distinctly hairy; style up to 7 mm.  Fruits globular to transversely ellipsoid, 6-13 by 7-16 mm, sometimes distinctly or indistinctly pointed (var. tomentosa), glabrous or almost so; endocarp glabrous or sparsely hairy; seedcoat glabrous"  (Kalkman, 1965; pp. 56-57).

Key to the varieties:
1.  Racemes 1/2-1 (-2 1/2) cm, dense.  Pedicels 0-1 (-2) mm.  Leaves usually papyraceous, thin:  var. tomentosa.
1.  Racemes 2-7 cm, loose.  Pedicels 1-7 mm.  Leaves herbaceous or coriaceous:
  2.  Fully developed leaves not more than 7 cm long:  var. microphylla.
  2.  Fully developed leaves at least 8 cm long: var. grisea  (Kalkman, 1965; pp. 58).

Habitat/ecology:  In its native habitat:  Primary and secondary forest, 0-c. 300 m (only in New Guinea often collected above 2000 m, elsewhere rarely from such altitudes (var. grisea); primary and secondary forest, 0-1300 (-1600) m (var. tomentosa); montane and subalpine forest, rarely also in more open vegetation, 1400-3500 m (var. microphylla) (Kalkman, 1965; pp. 58-63).

In Hawai‘i, extensive seedling carpets (more than 100 per square m) with scattered saplings forming thickets in the vicinity of planted trees, Lyon Arboretum, O‘ahu. "Thousands of seedlings and dozens of 1-3 m tall saplings were found, mostly within a 400 sq. m area centered around the original plantings" (Daehler & Baker, 2006; p. 11).

Propagation:  Seeds spread by birds and animals (Staples, Herbst & Imada, 2000; p. 28).

Native range:  Peninsular Burma, Thailand, South Vietnam, throughout Malesia. May be on Taiwan (Kalkman, 1965; p. 57).

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
O‘ahu Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Daehler, Curtis C./Baker, Raymond F. (2006) (p. 11)
Vouchers cited: C. Daehler 1097 (BISH), C. Daehler 1098 (HAW), C. Amable 3444 (BISH), D. Orr 84p585 (BISH)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
O‘ahu Island   Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1997) (voucher ID: BISH 655292)
Taxon name on voucher: Prunus grisea (C.Müll.) Kalkman
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island) native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)
Philippines
Philippine Islands
Philippine Islands native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia (Republic of) native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)
Malaysia
Malaysia
Malaysia (country of) native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) native
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 72)
Critically endangered
Taiwan
Taiwan Island
Taiwan Island native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)
Presence as a native species not confirmed.
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand (Kingdom of) native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam (Socialist Republic of) native
Kalkman, C. (1965) (p. 57)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Prunus grisea, please let us know.


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

  [   PIER species lists  ]   [   PIER home  ]

This page was created on 24 JUL 2007 and was last updated on 15 MAR 2012.