Cordia curassavica (N. Jacquin) J. Roemer & J. A. Schultes, Boraginaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Cordia macrostachya (Jacquin) Roemer & Schultes

Common name(s): [more details]

English: black sage, wild sage

French: mahot noir

Spanish: orégano-cimarrón

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "…a much-branched odorous shrub 1-3 m tall. Branching occurs mainly at the base of the plant. The ovate leaves are 5-10 cm long with pointed tips, and are greyish green and rough on the upper surface but paler and finely and softly hairy below. The white flowers are about 5 mm across and develop sequentially along erect spikes at the tips of the stems, and are followed by red fleshy fruits about 5 mm across with a single stony seed" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 31).

Habitat/ecology:  Dense thickets can prevent regeneration or crowd out other vegetation (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 31).

Propagation:  Bird-dispersed seeds. "Seedlings germinate in well-lit disturbed areas and grow quickly" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 31).

Native range:  Central America (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 31).

Presence:

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)
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)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced invasive	Pallawatta, Nirmalie/Reaser, Jamie K./Gutierrez, Alixis T./eds. (2003) (p. 49)
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)

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	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (pp. 31, 111)

Control: 

Chemical: "Pending the results of field trials plants should be cut back close to ground level and allowed to regrow to between 50 and 80 cm tall. The regrowth should then be sprayed with 2% Roundup plus Pulse" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 31).

Biological: A seed-attacking eurytomid wasp (Eurytoma attiva Burks) and a defoliating chrysomelid beetle (Metrogaleruca obscura Degeer) are effective for control (Julien, 1992; pp. 61-62; Swarbrick, 1997; p. 31).  Also see "Biological control of Cordia curassavica (Jacq.) R. & S. in Malysia by Schematiza cordiae Barb. (Coleop: Galerucidae)" by S. H. Ung, A. Yunus and W. H. Chin.

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

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

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

References:

Julien, M. H. (ed.). 1992. Biological control of weeds: A world catalogue of agents and their target weeds (third edition). CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 186 pp.

Pallawatta, Nirmalie/Reaser, Jamie K./Gutierrez, Alixis T./eds. 2003. Invasive alien species in south-southeast Asia: national reports and directory of resources. Global Invasive Species Programme. 111 pp.

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

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