Caperonia palustris (L.) A. St.-Hil., Euphorbiaceae

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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:  Croton palustris L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: birdeye, Mexican weed, Texas weed

French: male coq d'Inde

Spanish: ortie grosse, ortis-savane, sacatrapo

Habit:  herb

Description:  "The root is a taproot.  The stem is erect, 50 to 150 centimeters tall, branched and pubescent.  The leaves are alternate, 5 centimeters wide and 7 to 15 centimeters long and rough and have serrated margins and prominent veins.  The flowers are white and the fruit is a capsule.  The seeds are spherical, 3 millimeters in diameter"  (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 163).

Habitat/ecology:  "Annual herbaceous plant found in wet areas, cultivated fields, perennial crops, pastures and roadsides"  (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 163).

Propagation:  Seed (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 163).

Native range:  Mexico, Central and South America; naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 134)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 41)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Cardenas, Juan/Reys, Carlos E./Doll, Jerry D./Pardo, Fernando. 1972. Tropical weeds; malezas tropicales, vol. 1. International Plant Protection Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 341 pp.

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

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

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