Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol., Urticaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Cecropia palmata auct.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: guarumo, snakewood tree, trumpet, trumpet tree

Maori (Cook Islands): māniota, rau-māniota

Spanish: guaramo, guarumbo, guarumo

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Trees usually 5-10 m tall. Leaf blades usually 20-30 cm long, usually divided more than 1/2 to the center, 9-15-lobed, the lobes occasionally with 1 to several lateral lobes, upper surface scabridulous and sparsely arachnoid pubescent, lower surface very pale to nearly white, minutely and usually densely puberulent, petioles usually 23-30 cm long, stipules 7-11 cm long.  Staminate flowers in spikes (10-) 12-18 cm long, these in clusters of 3-9, spathes (11-) 12-20 cm long, 0.3-0.4 cm in diameter; pistillate flowers in spikes 17-30 cm long, ca. 0.5 cm in diameter at anthesis, enlarging to 0.6-0.9 cm in diameter in fruit, the spikes in clusters of 2-4, spathes 16-20 cm long, outer face usually arachnoid pubescent, inner face villous.  Fruit ovoid to oblong-ovoid, somewhat flattened, 3.3-3.7 mm long" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 530).

C. peltata has leaves divided only halfway to the base, staminate spikes in clusters of 12-50, and pistillate spike less than 12 cm long when fully expanded (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 530).

Habitat/ecology:  "This very rapidly growing but short-lived tree attains a height of no more than 10 m.  It forms dense stands which seriously impede the growth of other plants" (Smith, 1985; p. 187). It can invade in gaps in native forest.

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in pastures and low elevation wet forest" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 530).

Propagation:  Seeds are dispersed by frugivorous birds.

Native range:  Southern Mexico to Ecuador and Colombia (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 231).

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 invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 88)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 6)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 161305) Taxon name on voucher: Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 530) Voucher cited: MacDaniels 326 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 530)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 530)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
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	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
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)
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)

Comments:  Very invasive on Rarotonga, Cook Islands (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cecropia obtusifolia, please let us know.