Tibouchina herbacea (DC.) Cogn., Melastomataceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 24 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: cane ti, cane tibouchina, glorybush, tibouchina, tibouchinati

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Herbs or subshrubs up to 1 m tall; young branches quadrate, densely covered with spreading, simple, usually gland-tipped hairs.  Leaves ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-7.5 cm long, 1.3-3.5 cm wide, 5 (-7)-nerved with lateral primary veins confluent for 2-4 mm at base of blade, both surfaces moderately strigose, the hairs on upper surface adnate part of their length to the leaf surface, margins serrulate, apex acute, base rounded, petioles 3-10 mm long.  Inflorescences 10-20 cm long (incl. peduncle), bracts and bracteoles elliptic to broadly ovate, 1-3.5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide at base, tardily deciduous, ciliolate; hypanthium covered with spreading, simple, gland-tipped hairs; calyx lobes erect, deltate to ovate, 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm wide at base, ciliolate; petals 4, pink, 6-11 mm long, 5-6 mm wide; larger anthers yellow, 2.5-4 mm long, with prolonged connective and appendage collectively ca. 0.5 mm long, smaller anthers 2-3 mm long, with shorter connective and appendage but otherwise as in larger anthers.  Fruiting hypanthium 4-5 mm long, 3.5-5 mm wide.  Seeds 0.25-0.5 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 915).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized and locally abundant in disturbed mesic to wet forest" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 915).  "Forms dense stands in pastures and disturbed forest sites.  Displaces native species"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Propagation:  "Prolific seeder, spread by birds"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Native range:  Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 915).

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	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 914-915)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Herbarium Pacificum Staff (1999) (p. 5) Voucher cited: C. Imada, H. Oppenheimer, J.S. Meidell & C. Gemmill 98-3 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 914-915)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wysong, Michael/Hughes, Guy/Wood, K. R. (2007) (p. 5) Voucher cited: K.R. Wood & Hughes 10685 (PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2007) (p. 10) Voucher cited: R. Smith OISC 003 (BISH). "All plants located were controlled after identification".

Comments:  On the State of Hawai‘i noxious weed list.

Control: 

Chemical:  "Patty Welton (Haleakala National Park) reported application of undiluted triclopyr ester to the stem base provided 100% kill.  Pat Bily (TNC) reported triclopyr amine effective in foliar sprays with a surfactant and in cut-stump treatments.  Based on work with other melastomes, probably sensitive to 2,4-D, dicamba, triclopyr, and metsulfuron.  HAVO staff reported control with foliar application of glyphosate at 2% product in water (Chris Zimmer, HAVO)"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Biological:  Some work has been undertaken on biological control in Hawai‘i.  "Syphma ubembensis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) appears to be specific to T. herbacea and one or two other closely related species. It damages the leaves heavily, essentially skeletonizing them. The magnitude of the impact is under investigation. A species of Schmnkensteinia (Lepidoptera: Schrenkensteiniidae), a leaf skeletonizer, is a promising potential biological control agent. There are also two species of Anthonomus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) that appear promising; they now are undergoing life history and impact studies in Brazil. A species of Margamdisa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) also may prove to be useful but we do not know which plant species the larvae attack"  (Smith et al., 2002; p. 98).

"Researchers in Brazil have identified several natural enemies of Tibouchina herbacea for potential biological control use in Hawaii, the most promising of which is the leaf beetle Syphraea uberabensis (Coleoptera). The beetle is being tested in quarantine by the Institute of Pacific Island Forestry. In 2002 on Maui, the clidemia beetle Lius poseidon was observed on Tibouchina herbacea. The beetle was released in 1988 to control Clidemia hirta, another invasive melastome"  (Biological control in Hawai‘i).