Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton, Asclepiadaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bowstring hemp, calotrope, crown flower, crownplant, giant milkweed, madar

French: mercure végétal, mudar

Hawaiian: puakalaunu

I-Kiribati: te bumorimori

Spanish: lechoso

Tahitian: tahinu

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree to 4 m tall. Leaves sessile or with petiole 0.2-0.7 mm long; lamina elliptic to oblong, to 10 cm long, to 8 cm wide, cordate to auriculate, acute to rounded; colleters 19 or 20. Inflorescence of 1-3 fascicles. Flowers 14-15 mm long, 3-4.5 cm diam.; pedicels 2.5-3.2 cm long. Sepals lanceolate-ovate to ovate, 5-7 mm long. Corolla subrotate; lobes ovate, 15-17 mm long, 10-11 mm wide, cream-tipped internally. Staminal corona lobes 11-12 mm long, 6-6.5 mm wide, broadly flanged, cream, with base elongated into an upturned vesicle ca 5 mm long. Follicles oblong, 7-10 cm long" (Forster et al., 1996; p. 214).

Habitat/ecology:  "Crownflower grows anywhere, but it truly thrives in hot, sunny, dry environments, including areas near the coast that receive salt exposure"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; pp. 140-141).  In Australia, "Found on roadsides, disturbed areas, watercourses, river flats and coastal dunes.  Thrives on poor soils particularly where overgrazing has removed competition from native grasses."  (Smith, 2002; pp. 28-29).

Propagation:  "Seeds spread by wind and water over large distances.  Local stands increased in size by suckering.  Also spread as an ornamental plant."  (Smith, 2002; pp. 28-29).

Native range:  Sri Lanka, India, China and Malesia (Forster et al., 1996; p. 214).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 33) Not common.
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 123356) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1961) (voucher ID: BISH 123357) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 64)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Mazawa, Thomas R. (2000) (p. 25)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. (2000) (p. 27)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1988) (p. 110) Voucher cited: DA 12172 (L.8255) Sparingly naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1988) (p. 110) Voucher cited: DA 5677 Sparingly naturalized.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Florence 4731
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 492643) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 46)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Florence 5251
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 492245) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 46) Vouchers cited: BRY 24836a, BRY 26338
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 558156) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 219)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 649337) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 238) Cultivated, possible escapes.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 238) Cultivated, possible escapes.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2004) (p. 20) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 0202263 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2003) (p. 25) Vouchers cited: (East Maui) Starr & Martz 010309-1 (BISH), Starr & Martz 010503-2 (BISH); (West Maui) Starr & Martz 010701-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wydong, Michael/Hughes, Guy/Wood, K. R. (2007) (p. 2) Voucher cited: Wysong 763 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Dinielle/Lau, Alex (2008) (p. 3) "Naturalized in a dry, grassy road construction site". Voucher cited: A. Lau & D. Frohlich 2007101508 (BISH)
Kiribati Phoenix Islands	Kanton Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Stoddart, D. R. (1994) (p. 11) Vouchers cited: Degener & Hatheway 21294 (BISH), Clegern 4 (BISH)
Kiribati Phoenix Islands	Kanton Island	introduced	Luomala, Katharine (1951) (p. 173)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 219)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 13)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Bikini (Pikinni) Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1985) (voucher ID: BISH 649952) Taxon name on voucher: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 68)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 97) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58771 (US), Hassall 152 (SUVA)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 48) Voucher cited: CHR 168881
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 22)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 39)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 84)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2008)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 79)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2008)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 79)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 90)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 65)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 54)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Wake Islands	Wake Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 219)

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 cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 147)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (pp. 28-29)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 107)
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 30) "Common". Voucher cited: Fosberg 36827 (US)

Comments:  An invasive species in Timor. Naturalizing in Northern Territory and northwest Western Australia, Australia (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.).

Additional information:
Additional online information about Calotropis gigantea is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1959. Voucher specimen #BISH 123356 (Wisner, A.W. 109).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1961. Voucher specimen #BISH 123357 (Comstock, J.A.; collector's voucher number unknown).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1966. Voucher specimen #BISH 649337 (Evans, M. 1518).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1983. Voucher specimen #BISH 492245 (Florence, J. 5251).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1983. Voucher specimen #BISH 492643 (Florence, J. 4731).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1983. Voucher specimen #BISH 558156 (Florence, J. 4463).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1985. Voucher specimen #BISH 649952 (Fosberg, F.R. 65187).

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

Forster, P. I./Liddle, D. J./Nicholas, A. 1996. Flora of Australia. Vol. 28, Asclepiadaceae. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

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

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Fosberg, F. R./Stoddart, D. R. 1994. Flora of the Phoenix Islands, central Pacific. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 393. 60 pp.

Frohlich, Dinielle/Lau, Alex. 2008. New plant records from O‘ahu for 2007. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2007. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 100:3-12.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Luomala, Katharine. 1951. Plants of Canton Island, Phoenix Islands. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 20(11):157-174.

Smith, Albert C. 1988. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 4. 377 pp.

Smith, Nicholas M. 2002. Weeds of the wet/dry tropics of Australia - a field guide. Environment Centre NT, Inc. 112 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

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.

Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. 2004. Report to the Republic of Kiribati on invasive plant species on the islands of Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari and Maiana. Cont. no. 2003-006 to the Pac. Biol. Surv. USDA Forest Service and Bishop Museum, Honolulu. 103 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2008. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. (In press).

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Mazawa, Thomas R. 2000. Invasive plant species in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 41 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. 2000. Invasive plant species on Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 43 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2003. New plant records from the Hawaiian Archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2001-2002. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 74:23-34.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2004. New plant records from the Hawaiian Archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2003. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 79:20-30.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Thaman, R. R. 1987. Plants of Kiribati: a listing and analysis of vernacular names. Atoll Res. Bull. 296:1-42.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2008. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

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).

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.

Wydong, Michael/Hughes, Guy/Wood, K. R. 2007. New Hawaiian plant records for the island of Moloka‘i. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2006. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 96:1-8.