Cupaniopsis anacardioides (A.Rich.) Radlk., Sapindaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 9 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))
Reject (based on second screen), score: 3 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. (Florida)))

Common name(s): [more details]

English: carrotwood, tuckeroo

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Small tree, young parts, petioles, petiolules, peduncles pubescent. Petioles 3-7 cm long; leaflets 5-11; petiolules 2-7 mm long; leaflet blades elliptic, obovate or oblong, apex broad, retuse, base cuneate, margin entire, 5.5-19 cm X 2.5-6.5 cm, shining, glabrous above, pale, glabrous or puberulent below, lateral nerves spreading, parallel. Panicles 8-25 cm long, pedicels up to 2.5 mm long; outer calyx lobes 2.5 mm long, inner 3-4 mm long, puberulent; petals 1.5-3 mm long; stamens 8. Capsules yellow, subglobose, 3-furrowed and 3-ribbed, apiculate, 1.5 cm X 1.5 cm, shortly stipitate, valves thick, wrinkled and puberulent outside, densely rusty tomentose inside; seeds almost enclosed by red-orange aril" (Stanley and Ross, 1983; vol. 1, p. 512).

Habitat/ecology:  "Mangrove forests, cypress swamps, tropical hammocks, coastal dunes and forests.  Native habitats include coastal areas, lowland to upland rain forests, woodland and riverine forests.  The tree is fast growing, salt-tolerant, grows in full sun and shade, and is adapted to poor soils.  Where invasive, it forms dense thickets that crowd out native vegetation.  Seedlings and saplings can reach high densities and alter the understorey habitat"  (Weber, 2003; p. 129).

In its native range (Australia), widespread in depauperate rainforests, on creek banks and on coastal dunes (Stanley and Ross, 1983; vol. 1, p. 512). Salt-tolerant. In the US (Florida), invades both disturbed and undisturbed areas and forms dense thickets, crowding out native vegetation (Randall et al., 1996; p. 31).

Propagation:  Seed, spread by birds.

Native range:  Australia, New Guinea

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. (2000) (p. 29)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim (2011) (p. 32) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 090819-01 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2010) (pp. 15-16) Voucher cited: D. Frohlich & A. Lau 2008020801 (BISH)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

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	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Indonesia Indonesia	West Papua Province (Indonesia) (western New Guinea Island) (formerly Irian Jaya)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

Comments:  Planting of this species is prohibited in Miami-Dade County, Florida (U.S.) (Hunsberger, 2001).

Control: 

Physical: Hand-pull seedlings.

Chemical: Basal bark application of a triclopyr herbicide mixed with an oil diluent works well (Randall et al., 1996; p. 31).  Cut trees and treat the cut stumps with glyphosate or triclopyr (Weber, 2003; p. 129).

Additional information:
Photos and additional information at University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (see thumbnails above).
Fact sheet from the Native Plant Conservation Alliance, Alien Plant Working Group.
Information from the Global Invasive Species Database.
Information from the book "Identification and biology of non-native plants in Florida's natural areas" (PDF format).
Article from "Wildland Weeds".

Additional online information about Cupaniopsis anacardioides is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex. 2010. New plant records from O‘ahu for 2008. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2008. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 107:3-18.

Hunsberger, A. G. B. 2001. Invasive and banned plants of Miami-Dade County. U. of Fl. Extension. 3 pp.

Langeland, K. A./Burks, K. Craddock. eds. 1998. Identification and biology of non-native plants in Florida's natural areas. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida. 165 pp.

Randall, J. M./Marinelli, J. (eds.). 1996. Invasive plants: weeds of the global garden. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook 149. 111 pp.

Stanley, T. D./Ross, E. M. 1989. Flora of south-eastern Queensland. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Misc. Pub. 81020. 3 Volumes.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. 2000. Survey of invasive or potentially invasive cultivated plants in Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers No. 65. 35 pp.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim. 2011. New plant records from midway Atoll, Maui and Kaho‘olawe. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2009-2010. Part II: Plants. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 110:23-35.

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

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.