Harungana madagascariensis (Choisy) Poir., Clusiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Haronga madagascariensis (Lam. ex Poir.) Choisy

Common name(s): [more details]

English: dragon's-blood tree, haronga, harungana, orange milktree

French: bois harongue

Habit:  tree

Description:  "A tree or shrub, with orange-colored sap, clothed everywhere with fine stellate hairs; leaves opposite, ovate or ovate-elliptic, rounded, or sometimes cuneate or subcordate at base, acute or shortly acuminate at apex, 10-20 cm long, 6-10 cm broad, with rather numerous lateral nerves prominent beneath; petiole 1.5-2 cm long; flowers very small and numerous in a terminal corymbose cyme, its branches covered with coarse rusty indumentum. Flowers whitish, fragrant, dotted with black glands; drupes 2-4 seeded, 2.5-3.5 mm in diameter; abundant on cleared ground in forest regions, also in fringing forest in the savannah regions" (Hutchinson and Dalziel, 1954; p. 290).

Habitat/ecology:  In its native range, a pioneer species in secondary regrowth in areas exceeding 1300 mm of annual rainfall. In north Queensland, Australia, invades cyclone-damaged forest, forest fringes, roadsides and drains. It can form dense thickets that exclude other species. It has the possibility of becoming a permanent component of tropical rainforests (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 109).  "Forests and forest edges, disturbed sites.  The plant grows naturally in forest clearings, in savanna and secondary forests.  it can form dense populations that exclude native vegetation and prevents the regeneration of native shrubs and trees.  Primarily it colonizes disturbed sites"  (Weber, 2003; p. 190).

Propagation:  Seeds, probably dispersed by frugivorous birds.

Native range:  Madagascar, Mauritius and tropical Africa (GRIN).

Presence:

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 invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 109)

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. (2013)

Comments:  Wet tropical areas of northern Queensland, Australia (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 109).

Control: 

Physical:  Hand pull or dig out seedlings and young trees.

Chemical:  Cut large plants and treat the stumps with herbicide (Weber, 2003; p. 190).