Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Aphelandra aurantiaca


RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Low risk, score: -2


Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.
Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment

Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl. Family - Acanthaceae. Common Names - Fiery Spike, Tiger Plant. Synonyms - A. acutifolia Tafalla ex Nees. A. aurantiaca var. roezlii Ortgies ex Van Houtte.

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

2

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

n

0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y

1

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

 

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

y

2

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

4.03

Parasitic

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

4.05

Toxic to animals

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

n

0

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

n

0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

n

0

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y

1

4.10

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y

1

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

n

0

5.01

Aquatic

n

0

5.02

Grass

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

n

0

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y

1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

n

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

n

-1

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

2

0

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

n

-1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

n

-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

n

-1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

n

-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

n

-1

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

n

-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

Total score:

-2

Second Screening

Low risk

Supporting data:

Notes

Reference

1.01

No evidence

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1) Native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America

(1) Riffle, R.L. 1998. The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 428 pp.

2.02

2.03

(1) Hardiness: USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)

(1) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/112687/ [07 Nov 2007]

2.04

(1) Native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America

(1) Riffle, R.L. 1998. The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 428 pp.

2.05

3.01

(1) It is widespread but patchily distributed at lower elevations in shaded and semi-shaded areas within the Arboretum. The plant is spreading by seeds. Isolated plants were sometimes found >100 m from established mats.

(1) Daehler, C. Curtis and Baker, Ray. 2006. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 86: 3- 18.

3.02

(1) No evidence.

(1) http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamea.htm [08 Nov 2007]

3.03

(1) No evidence.

(1) http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamea.htm [08 Nov 2007]

3.04

(1) No evidence.

(1) http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamea.htm [08 Nov 2007]

3.05

(1) No evidence.

(1) http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamea.htm [08 Nov 2007]

4.01

(1) Herbaceous to suffrutescent plants; stems erect, to 1.5 m high, glabrous to sparingly pilose, the internodes 2-9 cm long; leaf blades oblong-ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, the majority of them 8-25 cm long and 2.5-12 cm wide, acute to acuminate or obtuse to subacute, cuneate or gradually to abruptly narrowed at base and more or less decurrent on the petiole, sometimes obliquely so, chartaceous or thick and coriaceous, glabrous on both surfaces or the costa and veins sometimes bearing a few subappressed hairs,

(1) Wasshausen, D.C. 1975. The Genus Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). Smithsonian Contributions to Botany (18) : 1-157.

4.02

Possibly (1) Pratt et al. (1995) showed that Scoparia dulcis and six Acanthaceae species, A. mollis, A. spinosus, Aphelandra aurantiaca, A. squarrosa, Crossandra infundibuliformis, and C. prungens contained hydroxamic acids. (2) Many cyclic hydroxamic acids have been reported to be involved in the defence of the plants against fungi, insects, and weeds (Chase et al., 1991a,b).

(1) Pratt, K., Kumar, P., Chilton, W.S., 1995. Cyclic hydroxamic acids in dicotyledonous plants. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 23 (7/8), 781–785. (2) Chase, W.R., Nair, M.G., Putnam, A.R., 1991a. 2,20-oxo-1,10- azobenzene: selective toxicity of rye (Secale cerale L.) allelochemicals to weed and crop species: II. J. Chem. Ecol. 17: 9–19. Chase, W.R., Nair, M.G., Putnam, A.R., Mishra, S.K., 1991b. 2,20-oxo-1,10-azobenzene: microbial transformation of rye (Secale cereale L.) allelochemical in field soils by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus: III. J. Chem. Ecol. 17: 1575–1584.

4.03

(1) No evidence.

(1) http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Aphelandra%20aurantiaca
%22+parasitic%7Cparasite [08 Nov 2007]

4.04

Don't know. (1) Pratt et al. (1995) showed that Scoparia dulcis and six Acanthaceae species, A. mollis, A. spinosus, Aphelandra aurantiaca, A. squarrosa, Crossandra infundibuliformis, and C. prungens contained hydroxamic acids. Many cyclic hydroxamic acids have been reported to be involved in the defence of the plants against fungi, insects, and weeds.

(1) Pratt, K., Kumar, P., Chilton, W.S., 1995. Cyclic hydroxamic acids in dicotyledonous plants. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 23 (7/8), 781–785.

4.05

Don't know. (1) Pratt et al. (1995) showed that Scoparia dulcis and six Acanthaceae species, A. mollis, A. spinosus, Aphelandra aurantiaca, A. squarrosa, Crossandra infundibuliformis, and C. prungens contained hydroxamic acids. Many cyclic hydroxamic acids have been reported to be involved in the defence of the plants against fungi, insects, and weeds.

(1) Pratt, K., Kumar, P., Chilton, W.S., 1995. Cyclic hydroxamic acids in dicotyledonous plants. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 23 (7/8), 781–785.

4.06

(1) Appendix A. List of plant species affected by leaf spots and rusts in three Mexican tropical forests. Aphelandra aurantiaca Acanthaceae Evergreen herb (2) Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lundell (Acanthaceae) First lesions appear as small chlorotic spots, then enlarge and appear as brown necrotic lesions irregular in shape. Green, septate mycelium. Short, simple, septate conidiophores, appear in clusters in the spots. Green, oval conidia. [not recognized of economic importance]

(1) http://esapubs.org/archive/ecol/E088/037/appendix-A.htm [08 Nov 2007] (2) Garcia-Guzman and Dirzo. 2001. Patterns of leaf-pathogen infection in the understory of a Mexican rain forest: incidence, spatiotemporal variation, and mechanisms of infection. American Journal of Botany 88(4): 634-645.

4.07

(1) Uses: Whole Plant: Shamans of the Surinam Tirio smoke the plant and blow the smoke into a sick person's house as a curative measure. Notes: The Tikuna of Colombia drip a warm decoction into the ears to treat progressive deafness due to old age.

(1) http://www.mnh.si.edu/biodiversity/bdg/medicinal/ [08 Nov 2007]

4.08

An understory rainforest herb (1) Aphelandra aurantiaca is an abundant understory herb, widespread in the regeneration mosaic of the rainforest.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

4.09

(1) 'It is widespread but patchily distributed at lower elevations in shaded and semi-shaded areas within the Arboretum.' (2) Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade (3) A great plant for lower light or shady areas, the brilliant orange-red blooms dazzle the eye and bring a splash of color to winter.

(1) Daehler, C. Curtis and Baker, Ray. 2006. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 86: 3- 18. (2) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/112687/ [07 Nov 2007] (3) http://65.217.230.34/prodinfo.asp?number=R1055-2 [08 Nov 2007]

4.10

(1) Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) (2) pH Range: 5.5 to 7 Sandy Loam to Clay Loam

(1) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/112687/ [07 Nov 2007] (2) http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_8e6f.html [08 Nov 2007]

4.11

low growing herb.

Daehler, C. Curtis and Baker, Ray. 2006. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 86: 3- 18.

4.12

(1) Even within suitable areas the plants are, as a rule, widely scattered and often only sparingly floriferous. As a result of this rarity, only a relatively small number of the species are represented in any one herbarium.

(1) Wasshausen, D.C. 1975. The Genus Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). Smithsonian Contributions to Botany (18) : 1-157.

5.01

(1) Herbaceous to suffrutescent plants; stems erect, to 1.5 m high

(1) Wasshausen, D.C. 1975. The Genus Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). Smithsonian Contributions to Botany (18) : 1-157.

5.02

(1) Acanthaceae Herbaceous to suffrutescent plants; stems erect, to 1.5 m high

(1) Wasshausen, D.C. 1975. The Genus Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). Smithsonian Contributions to Botany (18) : 1-157.

5.03

(1) Acanthaceae

(1) Wasshausen, D.C. 1975. The Genus Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). Smithsonian Contributions to Botany (18) : 1-157.

5.04

(1) No evidence.

(1) Wasshausen, D.C. 1975. The Genus Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). Smithsonian Contributions to Botany (18) : 1-157.

6.01

Able to reproduce, but heavy predaation on seeds in certain conditions. (1) The percentages of seed damage reported here show that predispersal predation is limiting seedling recruitment, especially in mature forest. Other possible explanations might be differences in insect composition. densities and behavior between gaps and mature forest.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

6.02

The plant is spreading by seeds.'

Daehler, C. Curtis and Baker, Ray. 2006. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 86: 3- 18.

6.03

Don't know.

6.04

(1) Flowers are self-compatible and pollinated by the hunmingbird Phaetornis superciliosus, bumble bees. and butterflies

(1) ISLAS-LUNAM,. A. 1995. Efecto de depredadores y polinizadores en el reclutamiento de Aphelandrn nuranrincn, una especie herbacea de 10s Tuxtlas Veracruz, Mexico. Bs. dissertation Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.E

6.05

(1) Flowers are self-compatible and pollinated by the hunmingbird Phaetornis superciliosus, bumble bees. and butterflies

(1) ISLAS-LUNAM,. A. 1995. Efecto de depredadores y polinizadores en el reclutamiento de Aphelandrn nuranrincn, una especie herbacea de 10s Tuxtlas Veracruz, Mexico. Bs. dissertation Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.E

6.06

(1) They are very tender perennials, but will spriing back from the roots if cut down by frost, and, if the roots are mulched, will sometimes survive even in zone 9b.

(1) Riffle, R.L. 1998. The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 428 pp.

6.07

A short-live perennial. Flowers likley appear after the first year. (1) This genus in the family Acanthaceae consists of about 170 species of shrubs and subshrubs cultivated for their attractive flowerheads. Short-lived red and yellow flowers appear throughout the year.

(1) http://www.ontariogardening.com/Knowledgebase/species.jsp?id=1967 [8 Nov 07}

7.01

(1) Seed dispersal is ballistic. No means of external attachment.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

7.02

(1) tiger plant has been popular in Hawaiian gardens for man years where it is grown as a specimen or container plant. It also makes a fine ground cover in shady, protected spots. (2) The beauty of this plant makes it a favorite for growing in gardens as a border plant in the tropics, and as a houseplant or greenhouse plant in temperate areas.

(1) Stapes, G.W. and D.R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants Cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other Tropical Places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. (2) Whistler, A.W. 2000. Tropical Ornamentals: A Guide. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

7.03

Not grown with produce.

7.04

Small seeds. (1) The fruit is an ovoid capsule with a constant number of four seeds (2-4.5 mm diameter).Seed dispersal is ballistic. [no adaptation to win]

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

7.05

(1) Seed dispersal is ballistic.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

7.06

(1) Seed dispersal is ballistic...The fruit is an ovoid capsule with a constant number of four seeds (2-4.5 mm diameter).

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

7.07

(1) Seed dispersal is ballistic.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

7.08

(1) Seed dispersal is ballistic.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

8.01

(1) The fruit is an ovoid capsule with a constant number of four seeds (2-4.5 mm diameter).

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

8.02

(1) the percentages of seed damage reported here (80% for gaps and 99.7% in mature forest) show that predispersal predation is limiting recruitment, especially in mature forest.

(1) Calvos-Irabien and Islas-Luna 1999. Predispersal predation of an understory rainforest herb Aphelandra aurantiaca (Acanthaceae) in gaps and mature forest. American Journal of Botany 86(8): 1108-1113.

8.03

Don't know.

8.04

(1) They are very tender perennials, but will spriing back from the roots if cut down by frost, and, if the roots are mulched, will sometimes survive even in zone 9b.

(1) Riffle, R.L. 1998. The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 428 pp.

8.05

Don't know


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