Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm., Verbenaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Palauan: a kulb ne par reth, kalngebard ra belau

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Small tree, with decussately arranged spines; young stems densely covered with hairs; leaves opposite or subopposite, ± decussate, petiolate, mostly broadly elliptic or broadly ovate; apex rounded, slightly mucronate, and ± retuse; base obtuse or acute, shortly attenuate; margin entire; upper leaf surface glabrescent; lower leaf surface covered with curved hairs; base of blade on lower surface with shiny green glands; inflorescence a raceme-like arrangement of cymes; peduncle densely covered with hairs; flowers opening 1 or 2 at a time; calyx cup-like, with appressed hairs and green button-like glands outside; 4 very short calyx lobes; corolla yellow, bilabiate, base narrowly cylindrical, greatly inflated distally, with appressed hairs outside; outer lip with single, largest lobe, inner lip 3-lobed; stamens 4, adnate to narrow part of corolla lobe, 2 upper stamens larger and 2 lower stamens smaller, all fertile; 2 uppers filaments curved, with glands; all anthers with 2 locules forming a U-shape; ovary ± globose, mostly shiny, glabrous, but with mostly distal appressed hairs; style filiform, 2 arms distally, 1 with very small terminal stigma, the second very small, aborted." (Flora of Suranaree University of Technology Campus, Thailand)

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southern and southeast Asia, Mauritius and Palau.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 151)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2620 (PAP) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493168) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Kiribati Line Islands	Line Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 18, 85)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 21) Voucher: Lorence 9894 (PTBG, BNM, BISH, NY, US)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 438288) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 649312) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 649313) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1997) (voucher ID: BISH 697862) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1997) (voucher ID: BISH 697863) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (2005) (voucher ID: BNM 142) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1978) (voucher ID: BNM 1450) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 187) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 428375) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 567993) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica J.E.Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1966) (voucher ID: BNM 835) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1966) (voucher ID: BNM 828) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1968) (voucher ID: BNM 827) Taxon name on voucher: Gmelina elliptica Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Malakal Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 18, 81)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 399) Common in thickets and secondary forests at low altitudes.

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)	Queensland	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	native	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 45) Endangered
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist 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
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Comments:  Naturalized in Australia (Queensland), Jamaica and Zaire (GRIN).

This shrubby, thorny tree could be a problem if introduced to islands where it is not native.

Additional information:
Warning brochure from the Government of Queensland, Australia (PDF format).

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

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

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

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1966. Voucher specimen #BNM835(Bechesrrak, M. E-11).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1966. Voucher specimen #BNM828(Cheatham 128).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1968. Voucher specimen #BNM827(Salsedo 91).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1978. Voucher specimen #BNM1450(Canfield, J.E. 402).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 2005. Voucher specimen #BNM142(Costion 142).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 567993 (Salsedo, C.A. 91).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 428375 (Shearard, D.A. 82).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 438288 (Canfield, J.E. 402).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 493168 (Florence, J. 2620).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1996. Voucher specimen #BISH 649312 (Herbst, D.R. LR26187).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1996. Voucher specimen #BISH 649313 (Herbst, D.R. LR26187).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1997. Voucher specimen #BISH 697862 (Herbst, D.R. 9831).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1997. Voucher specimen #BISH 697863 (Herbst, D.R. 9831).

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

Falanruw, Marjorie C./Maka, Jean E./Cole, Thomas G./Whitesell, Craig D. 1990. Common and scientific names of trees and shrubs of Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands. Pac. SW Forest and Range Expt. Stn. Resource Bulletin PSW-67. 91 pp.

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Otobed, D./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L./Powell, D. A./Canfield, J. E. 1980. Vascular plants of Palau with vernacular names. Department of Botany, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 43 pp.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 3 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 628 pp.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2008. Voucher specimen #PTBG187(David H. Lorence 9894).

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. 227 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.

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