Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth, Malpighiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Malpighia crassifolia L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: cao cimun, craboo, golden-spoon, maricao cimun

French: maurissi

Spanish: chaparro, indano, nancé, peraleja, yoco

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "A shrub or tree, often fruiting when only 1-2 meters high but frequently a tree of 5-10 meters or even higher, the crown rounded or spreading, sometimes rather tall and narrow, the trunk straight or crooked, tall or short, the bark dark brown, rough, the inner bark pinkish; young branches covered with a dense or lax tomentum of rufous hairs; petioles mostly 8-15 mm. long; leaf blades ovate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic, mostly 8-15 cm. long and 4-7 cm. wide but variable in size, acute or acuminate, sometimes rounded and apiculate at the apex, acute or obtuse at the base, usually lustrous and glabrate above, beneath sparsely or densely tomentose with lax, rufous or grayish hairs, chartaceous; racemes equaling or longer than the leaves, many-flowered, sparsely or densely rufous-tomentose; petals yellow, turning dull red, the flower 1.5-2 cm. broad; ovary sparsely sericeous; drupes 8-12 mm. in diameter, dull yellow or tinged with orange, with abundant flesh. (Standley and Steyermark, 1946; 24(5) p. 478).

Habitat/ecology:  In Guatemala (native), moist or dry thickets or open forest, often abundant in pine forest, planted in many regions, mostly at 1,300 meters or less" (Standley and Steyermark, 1946; 24(5) p. 478). In Hawai‘i, "at home in dry, sunny, lowland gardens as well as in cool, wet valleys" (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 382).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Mexico, Central and South America; also cultivated (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	Hawai‘i (Big) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (year unknown) (voucher ID: PTBG 5727) Taxon name on voucher: Byrsonima crassifolia
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1985) (voucher ID: BISH 497576) Taxon name on voucher: Byrsonima crassifolia

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)	Australia (continental)	introduced cultivated	Randall, R. P. (2007) (p. 86)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	Standley, Paul C./Steyermark, Julian A. (1946)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	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. 21)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	Macbride, J. Francis (1936) (pp. 13(3/3)866-867)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Byrsonima crassifolia, please let us know.