Macaranga tanarius (L.) Müll.Arg., Euphorbiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Ricinus tanarius L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: parasol leaf tree

Kwara‘ae: rebareba, taksui

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Dioecious trees 4-10 (-20) m tall.  Leaves peltate, ovate to oblong-ovate, 8-30 cm long, petioles 6-25 cm long, stipules oblong to narrowly ovate, 1-3 cm long, quickly deciduous.  Staminate flowers in open panicles 13-35 cm long, bracts and calyx pale green to yellowish green, stamens (3) 4-6 (-10), anthers tetrathecal; pistillate flowers in panicles 8-30 cm long, ovary 2-3-celled, styles 5-8 mm long.  Capsules 2-3-valved, 10-12 mm long, covered with pale waxy glands and soft, scattered, elongate, spinelike processes" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 624).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in disturbed mesic valleys, 0-220 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 624).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Malesia (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 624).

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	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Parker, James L./Parsons, Bobby (2010) (pp. 41-42) Voucher cited: K. Bio, J. Parker & R. McGuire BIED4 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 624)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Meidell, J. Scott/Bartlett, R. T. (1999) (pp. 7-8) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer 303 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 624) Voucher cited: Caum et al. s.n. (BISH)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Ebon (Epoon) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 141) var. glabra
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 141) also var. glabra
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago		Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 307) Common in secondary forest and overgrown plantations.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 443) Characteristic of thickets and second=growth forests at low and medium altitudes.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 88)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 57) Cultivated only

Additional information:
Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".

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

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

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

References:

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.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 2 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 530 pp.

Oppenheimer, Hank L./Meidell, J. Scott/Bartlett, R. T. 1999. New plant records for Maui and Moloka‘i. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1998. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 59:7-11.

Parker, James L./Parsons, Bobby. 2010. New plant records from the Big Island for 2008. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2008. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 107:41-43.

Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty]. 1984. Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for naturalists. Office of Forests, Division of Botany, Lae, Papua New Guinea. 638 pp. ISBN 9980-66-000-7.

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

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).