Waterhousea floribunda (F. Muell.) B. Hyland, Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Eugenia ventenatii Benth.; Syzygium floribundum F. Muell.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: weeping lilly pilly, weeping myrtle

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree up to 30 m tall, stem diameter up to 80 cm, large trees often flanged at base, branches pendulous. Leaves with petioles 2-8 mm long; blades narrowly oblong-ovate to narrowly oblong-elliptic, apex drawn out to pointed or rounded tip, base cuneate, margin slightly recur4ved, 5.5-17 cm X 1.3-5 cm, dark green and glossy above, dull and paler below, main lateral veins 15-40 pairs, oil glands numerous, fairly distinct. Flowers in panicles, pedicels up to 3 mm long; hypanthium campanulate, ca 3 mm long; sepals 5, less than 1 mm long; petals white, 5, imbricate, mostly cohering slightly and forming calyptra which is shed when flower opens; stamens ca 3-7 mm long; style 4-10 mm long. Fruits greenish, " depressed globular, 1.3-2 cm diameter, crowned by persistent calyx lobes." (Stanley and Ross, 1986; vol. 2, p. 213)

Habitat/ecology:  Mesic sites.

Propagation:  Fleshy fruits dispersed by birds.

Native range:  Australia

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 93) "Mesic habitats"
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 644065) Taxon name on voucher: Syzygium floribundum F.Muell.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 644404) Taxon name on voucher: Syzygium floribundum F.Muell.

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)	New South Wales	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 90) Cultivated only

Comments:  Present on Tahiti; a more serious problem on Moorea.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Waterhousea floribunda, please let us know.