Lagunaria patersonia (Andrews) G. Don, Malvaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment).

Common name(s): [more details]

English: cowitch tree, Norfolk hibiscus, Norfolk Island hibiscus, pyramid tree, sally wood, white oak, whitewood

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree to 20 or more m tall. Leaves subcoriaceous; lamina elliptic to broadly elliptic or lanceolate, (4-) 5-7 (-9) cm long, (1.3-) 2-3.5 (-5) cm broad, obtuse to acute at base, entire, obtuse to rounded, covered with fringed, appressed scales, very dense below, scattered above. Flowers with pedicels 1-2 cm long. Epicalyx reduced to a ridge surrounding base of calyx. Calyx 12-15 mm long, densely scaly; lobes 2-3 mm long, broadly triangular. Petals elliptic-lanceolate, 4-4.5 cm long, densely scaly dorsally, glabrous within, pink to rose-lilac, yellow towards base. Capsule spherical, 2-3 cm long; septae lined with irritating hairs c. 1 mm long"  (Flora of Australia online).

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

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands (subsp. patersonia), eastern Queensland, Australia (subsp. bracteata (Benth.) P. S. Green)  (Flora of Australia online).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2011)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (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)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2011)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2011. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

National Herbarium of New South Wales. 2011. PlantNet: New South Wales Flora online. The Plant Information Network System of the Botanic Gardens Trust Version 2.0. Online resource.

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