Ardisia elliptica Thunb., Primulaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 11 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Ardisia humilis Vahl; Ardisia solanacea Roxb.; Ardisia squamulosa Pr.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: dong fang zi jin niu

English: duck's eye, ellliptical-leaf ardisia, shoebutton ardisia

Maori (Cook Islands): venevene tinitō, vine tinitō

Tahitian: ati popa‘a, atiu

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Branched shrubs up to 4 m tall, glabrous.  Leaves alternate, obovate or oblanceolate, 6-9 cm long, 1.5-4 cm wide, lateral nerves numerous, not merging into a definite marginal nerve except at lower part of leaf, margins entire, apex obtuse or broadly acute, base cuneate and decurrent on the petiole, petioles 4-8 mm long.  Flowering branches 10-20 cm long, leaves scattered along upper half, inflorescences axillary, umbellate to racemose, peduncles 1.5-3 cm long, pedicels ca. 1 cm long; sepals suborbicular, ca. 2 mm long, the surface black punctate, margins hyaline and ciliolate; corolla lobes pale lavender, lanceolate, conspicuously punctate.  Drupes red when immature, black at maturity, globose, ca. 5 mm in diameter, densely punctate" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 932-933, 1885).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist and wet forests and open areas.  "This shade-tolerant, evergreen tree grows rapidly, forming dense monotypic stands that prevent establishment of all other species.  The tree is probably not resistant to fire. The species is usually found in wet, lowland areas" in Hawai‘i (Smith, 1985; p. 185). In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in disturbed hala forest, mesic forest, and lower portions of wet forest, 5-550 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 932-933, 1885).  "Forms dense stands in pastures and disturbed forests"  (Motooka et al., 2003).  Moist valleys to 500 m in French Polynesia.  In the Northern Territory, Australia, "cultivated in gardens and has naturalised in the last 5-10 years.  Isolated, naturalised specimens exist in riparian vegetation within areas of dry rainforest associated with the monsoon belt of northern Australia" (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; pp. 25-26).

Propagation:  Frugivorous birds are the principal dispersal agents, attracted to the numerous red to blackish fruits.

Native range:  Asia (probably Sri Lanka).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6) Voucher: Flynn 7099 (PTBG, BISH, US)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 395) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 88)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6) Voucher: Flynn 6995 (PTBG, BISH, US)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 81932) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 163548) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 664853) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia humilis Vahl
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 339) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 190) Vouchers cited: Moore 190, BRY 24856, BRY 25379
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3393 (PAP), J. Florence 10344 (PAP) Naturalisée, Menace pour la biodiversité
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 492092) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 642098) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 190) Voucher cited: Fosberg & Stone 61301
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2304 (PAP) Naturalisée. Menace pour la biodiversité.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493612) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 932-933)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 932-933)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 932-933) East Maui
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Meidell, J. Scott/Oppenheimer, H. L./Bartlett, R. T. (1998) (p. 7) West Maui. Voucher cited: Meidell & Oppenheimer 203 (BISH) A serious naturalized pest in lowland mesic and wet forests.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 932-933)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 5) Voucher: Flynn 6930 (PTBG, US, SAMOA)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1921) (voucher ID: BISH 163547) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417491) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica Thunb.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 325) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 44704) Taxon name on voucher: Ardisia elliptica

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)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 25-26)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 25-26)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 117) Ornamental.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	native	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 15) Endangered
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) Roadsides, scrub, near villages, edges of fields, along coasts.
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced cultivated	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2010)
Maldives Maldive Islands	Maldive Islands		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 29)
Mascarene Islands Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, La Reunion, Rodrigues)	Mascarene Islands	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 54)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Kueffer, C./Mauremootoo, J. (2004) (pp. 7, 8)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 54)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	Francis, John K., ed. (2009)

Comments:  Widespread and probably beyond control in Vailima Reserve, Alaoa and other areas above Apia, Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Widespread throughout Rarotonga and present to a lesser extent on Mangaia, Cook Islands. There are scattered populations on Aitutaki and Ma‘uke as well (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Naturalized in the Northern Territory, Australia.

On the State of Hawai‘i and French Polynesia noxious weed lists.

A serious invasive species in hardwood forests and abandoned agricultural land in southern Florida (US) (Randall et al., 1996).

Planting of this species is prohibited in Miami-Dade County, Florida (U.S.) (Hunsberger, 2001).

See also A. crenata.

Control: 

Physical: Hand-pull seedlings.

Chemical: "In areas with a dense groundcover of seedlings, a broadcast spray of a glyphosate herbicide is effective, but be careful to avoid damaging desirable plants.  Mature specimens should be treated with a basal application of a triclopyhr herbicide mixed with an oil diluent" (Randall et al., 1996; p. 149).

"Susceptible to 2,4-D. Triclopyr, dicamba and metsulfuron not as effective. Spraying regrowth after mowing with 2,4-D very effective. Tebuthiuron at 2 lb/acre effective. Kline and Duquesnel reported good control with triclopyr ester at 10% in diesel applied to basal bark. Glyphosate foliar and triclopyr basal bark effective. Susceptible to very-low volume basal bark applications of Pathfinder II®, a ready-to-use formulation of triclopyr"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:
Excerpt from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Photos and additional information at University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
Fact sheet from "Common forest trees of Hawaii" (PDF format).
Fact sheet from "Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories: thamnic descriptions" (PDF format).
Information from the Global Invasive Species Database.
Information from the book "Identification and biology of non-native plants in Florida's natural areas" (PDF format).
Information from the ASEAN Tropical Plant Database.

Additional online information about Ardisia elliptica is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Ardisia elliptica as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Ardisia elliptica may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1921. Voucher specimen #BISH 163547 (Wilder, G.P. 79).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 163548 (Wilder, G.P. 928).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 81932 (Stoddart, D.R. 2142).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1973. Voucher specimen #BISH 417491 (Whistler, W.A. W1052).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 492092 (Florence, J. 3393).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 493612 (Florence, J. 2304).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 664853 (Sykes, W.R. 399712).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1990. Voucher specimen #BISH 642098 (Florence 10344).

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France. 2010. Les espéces envahissantes en outre-mer (online resource).

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Délégation à l'Environnement/Délégation à Recherche. 2001. Les plantes envahissantes en Polynésie Française. French Polynesia. 2 p. folder.

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Fosberg, F. R. 1957. The Maldive Islands, Indian Ocean. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 58. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 37 pp.

Francis, John K., ed. 2009. Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions General Technical Report IITF-WB-1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry and Shrub Sciences Laboratory (online resource).

Hunsberger, A. G. B. 2001. Invasive and banned plants of Miami-Dade County. U. of Fl. Extension. 3 pp.

Kueffer, C./Mauremootoo, J. 2004. Case studies on the status of invasive woody plant species in the western Indian Ocean. 3. Mauritius (islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Forestry Department, Forest Resources Division, Forest Resources Development Service, Working Paper FBS/4-3E. 35 pp.

Langeland, K. A./Burks, K. Craddock. eds. 1998. Identification and biology of non-native plants in Florida's natural areas. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida. 165 pp.

Large, M. F./Cronk, Q. C. B. 1996. Ardisia: the next pest? Aliens 4:4.

Little, Elbert L./Skolmen, Roger G. 1989. Common forest trees of Hawaii (native and introduced). USDA Agriculture Handbook 679. Washington, D.C. 377 pp. + plates.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Meidell, J. Scott/Oppenheimer, H. L./Bartlett, R. T. 1998. New plant records from West Maui. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1997. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 56:6-8.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2002. Voucher specimen #PTBG325(Tim Flynn 6930).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2002. Voucher specimen #PTBG339(Tim Flynn 6995).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2002. Voucher specimen #PTBG395(Tim Flynn 7099).

Neal, Marie C. 1965. In Gardens of Hawaii. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication 50, Bishop Museum Press. 924 pp.

Randall, J. M./Marinelli, J. (eds.). 1996. Invasive plants: weeds of the global garden. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook 149. 111 pp.

Smith, Clifford W. 1985. Impact of Alien Plants on Hawai‘i's Native Biota. In: Stone, Charles P. and Scott, J. Michael, eds. Hawai‘i's terrestrial ecosystems: preservation and Management. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, Manoa.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).