Calathea majestica (Linden) H.Kennedy, Marantaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk, score: -1 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Calathea imperialis (Burgerstein & Abel) L. H. Bailey & Raffill; Calathea princeps (Linden) Regel; Maranta imperialis Bergerstein & Abel; Maranta majestica Linden; Maranta princeps Linden

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb 4 to 9.5 feet tall.  Leaves 2-10, basal, 1 on stem; sheath, petiole and pulvinus green; blades ovate to ovate-oblong; juvenile blades 4.5-16.5 x 1.75-6.75 inches, upper side dark green with numerous thin, pink or white lines along veins or 2 lengthwise bands of yellow-green, midvein and margins dark green, glabrous, underside dark purple, with tiny hairs along veins; mature blades 19-39 x 7.5-13.5 inches, pattern disappearing, base rounded to truncate.  Inflorescence ovoid, 3.25-5.25 x 2.5-3.75 inches; bracts 23-42, spirally arranged, stiff, orangish.  Flower sepals yellow-green or reddish orange, stiff; corolla yellow-orange, pubescent; sterile stem purple apically"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 701).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Rhizomes and perhaps by seed.

Native range:  "Native to tropical rainforests at 500-1,500 feet elevation in the Amazon Basin from southern Colombia to Peru and in northwestern Brazil"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 701).

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	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 9)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 48)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 650491) Taxon name on voucher: Calathea majestica (Linden) H.Kennedy
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1935) (voucher ID: BISH 16666) Taxon name on voucher: Calathea majestica (Linden) H.Kennedy
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 6)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 22) Cultivated only
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)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Calathea majestica, please let us know.