Angophora costata (Gaertn.) J. Britten, Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Angophora lanceolata Cav.; Eucalyptus apocynifolia (Salisb.) Brooker; Metrosideros apocynifolia Salisb.; Metrosideros costata Gaertn.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: gum myrtle, lanceleaf gum myrtle, smooth-barked apple

Habit:  tree

Description:  "A large tree with smooth, deciduous, pinkish bark; leaves opposite, eucalyptus-like, lanceolate; capsules broad-obovoid, 7- c. 10 mm in diameter across the truncate apex; valves enclosed; calyx teeth persistent and small, prolonged as 5 acute ribs down the hypanthium, sometimes with a secondary rib between"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 848).

"Similar in appearance to Eucalyptus, but differs in having opposite paired leaves and flowers with 5 separate white petals.  It is a tall tree, to 80 ft [24 m] in height; bark is smooth, flaking off and becoming mottled and gray brown; leaves are lanceolate, to 5 in [2 cm] long, and short petioled; flowers are white, in clusters, to 1 in. across, with short panicles and many white thread-like stamens; fruit cuplike, rounded, about 1/2 in [0.5 cm] long, with 10 long ridges, blackish, hard, thick walled, opening like a lid, 3-celled" (Starr, Starr & Loope, 2006; p. 37).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i (Maui), spreading from forestry plantations into nearby pasture and gulches (Starr, Starr & Loope, 2006; p. 37).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Eastern New South Wales and southern Queensland, Australia (GRIN).

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	Kaua‘i Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1987) (voucher ID: BISH 514519) Taxon name on voucher: Angophora costata subsp. costata
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 37) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 050818-2 (BISH)

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)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 848)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Angophora costata, please let us know.