Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Laccospadix australasica


RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Evaluate, score: 1


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

Laccospadix australasica H. Wendland and Drude Family - Arecaceae. Common Names(s) - Atherton Palm. Synonym(s) - Calyptrocalyx australasicus.

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=1, n=-1

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

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”

See Append 2

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)

y=1, n=0

n

0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

1

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range?

y=-2, ?=-1, n=0

n

3.01

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

n

0

3.02

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

n=0

n

0

3.03

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

n=0

n

0

3.04

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

n=0

n

0

3.05

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

n=0

n

0

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.09

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

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.10

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

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

0

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.04

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

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

6.07

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

See left

7.01

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

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

8.02

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

y=1, n=-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

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

y=1, n=-1

8.05

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

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

1

Supporting data:

Notes

Source

1.01

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1)Laccospadix australasica is endemic to rainforest in norhteastern Queensland, Australia

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

2.02

2.03

(1)Hardiness: USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F) 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) (2)Laccospadix australasica is a small palm that occurs in cool middle-elevation rainforests of northern Australia. It does not grow well in South Florida without protection from temperature extremes.

(1)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/67656/ [Accessed 22 Oct 2008] (2)http://palmguide.org/genus.php?family=ARECACEAE&genus=Laccospadix [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

2.04

(1)Laccospadix australasica is endemic to rainforest in norhteastern Queensland, Australia

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

2.05

(1)This plant has been said to grow in the following regions: Thousand Oaks, California Ventura, California Westminster, California (2)LACCOSPADIX australasica (3 ft to 1 ft): survived basically undamaged @ 27f (Jacksonville); killed outright @ 23f (Orlando); probably more suitable to northern Fla. climate as opposed to central Fla. (excepting any frosts/freezes)

(1)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/67656/ [Accessed 22 Oct 2008] (2)http://www.plantapalm.com/centralfl/FreezeDaveWitt.asp [Accessed 24 Oct 2008]

3.01

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamel.htm [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

3.02

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamel.htm [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

3.03

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamel.htm [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

3.04

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamel.htm [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

3.05

(1)Laccospadix is a monotypic genus

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.01

(1)No evidence (2)A solitary or clumping palm. The trunk is up to 2-3 m tall, slender, dark green, unarmed, with annular rings and a crownshaft.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR. (2)http://www.amazonia-online.com/Palm_Species/Palm_Species/Entradas/2008/2/11_Laccospadix_australasica.html [Accessed 22 OCt 2008]

4.02

No evidence of allelopathy (1)A beautiful understorey palm that thrives in moist humid conditions. Tolerates cold but not frost. Excellent choice for planting under established palms that provide shelter and shade. Up to 3m tall. (2)Laccospadix australasica and Cyathea rebeccae prominent in understorey.

(1)http://www.palmco.co.nz/Palmco%20Catalogue.pdf [Accessed 24 Oct 2008] (2)Worboys, S. J. 2006. Rainforest Dieback Mapping and Assessment. 2004 Monitoring Report Including an Assessment of Dieback in High Altitude Rainforests. Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management. Rainforest CRC, Cairns.

4.03

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.04

Unknown

4.05

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.06

Unknown

4.07

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.08

Unlikely given rainforest habitat (1)endemic to rain forest in northeastern Queensland, Australia, where it occurs in the undergrowth

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.09

(1)The palm needs partial shade at all ages.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.10

(1)It is not well adapted to calcareous soils but needs a friable, humus-laden medium that is constantly moist but not soggy.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

4.11

(1)An attractive, medium sized palm feather palm, solitary or clumping to about 8m. Has long, pendulous infructescences of bright red fruit.

(1)http://www.pacsoa.org.au/palms/Laccospadix/australasica.html [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

4.12

No evidence of forming dense thickets (1)The species is found mostly as a clustering palm

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

5.01

Terrestrial

5.02

Arecaceae

5.03

Arecaceae

5.04

Arecaceae

6.01

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

6.02

(1)Propagation: From seed.

(1)Wrigley, J.W. and M. Fagg. 1996. Australian Native Plants: Propagation, Cultivation and Use in Landscaping (4th Edition). Reed Books. Australia.

6.03

(1)Laccospadix is a monotypic genus

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

6.04

Unknown

6.05

No evidence (1)the flowers are actually predominantly entomophilous

(1)Zomlefer, W.B. 1994. Guide to Flowering Plant Families. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill, NC.

6.06

Unknown how far from main trunk plant will sucker (1)Propagation: From seed and by division if suckering. (2) It is grown from seed. The seed germinate easily. This takes 3-5 months. Seedlings transplant very easily. It can also be grown from suckers which split off easily.

(1)Jones, D.L. 1986. Ornamental Rainforest Plants in Australia. Reed Books. Frenchs Forest, Australia. (2)http://www.foodplantsinternational.com/index.php?sec=plants&page=simple_info&plantid=9088&nocache=1 [Accessed 24 Oct 2008]

6.07

Probably does not reach reproductive maturity for at least 2 or more years (1)Germination: erratic, and seedlings grow slowly (2)Laccospadix australasica, the Atherton palm, is a slow-growing, clump-forming type from the Queensland rainforests.

(1)http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Palm/Laccospadix_australasica.html [Accessed 22 Oct 2008] (2)Sparrow, J. and G. Hanly. 2002. Subtropical Plants: A Practical Gardening Guide. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

7.01

No means of external attachment

 

7.02

(1)Ornamental

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

7.03

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamel.htm [Accessed 22 Oct 2008]

7.04

(1)The 0.5-inch-long, oblong, juicy berrylike fruits grow directly on the spike and are bright cherry red when ripe.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

7.05

Unknown if fruits or seeds are buoyant

 

7.06

(1)The 0.5-inch-long, oblong, juicy berrylike fruits grow directly on the spike and are bright cherry red when ripe.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

7.07

No means of external attachment

 

7.08

(1)The 0.5-inch-long, oblong, juicy berrylike fruits grow directly on the spike and are bright cherry red when ripe.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

8.01

(1)stems grow to 10 or 12 feet tall...The 0.5-inch-long, oblong, juicy berrylike fruits grow directly on the spike and are bright cherry red when ripe.

(1)Riffle, R.L. and P. Craft. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

8.02

Unknown (1)Storage Behaviour: Recalcitrant?

(1)http://data.kew.org/sid/SidServlet?ID=13264&Num=nxf [Accessed 24 Oct 2008]

8.03

Unknown

8.04

Unknown

8.05

Unknown


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