Melochia umbellata (Houtt.) Stapf, 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)

Other Latin names:  Melochia compacta Hochr.; Melochia indica A. Gray

Common name(s): [more details]

English: gunpowder tree, melochia

Kwara‘ae: kasie bulu

Palauan: besbus, besbus

Yapese: besbus

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Small trees or shrubs 2-15 m tall; young stems tomentose with stellate hairs. Leaves broadly ovate, 9-30 (-50) cm long, 3.8-15 (-27) cm long, stellate pubescent, margins irregularly crenate-serrate, base rounded to cordate, petioles 2.5-11 (-20) cm long, stipules ovate to suborbicular, 4-10 mm long, deciduous. Flowers in open corymbiform cymes, the ultimate divisions umbellate, peduncles 3-7 (-11) cm long, pedicels 1-3 mm long; calyx yellowish green to pinkish brown, the lobes deltate, 2-3.5 mm long, pubescent with stellate and also simple or forked hairs; petals pale pink to red, rarely yellow or orange-tinged, pale blue, purple, or violet, obovate to oblanceolate, 6-7 mm long; stamens of 2 lengths in different flowers, 4-5 mm long and 5.5-6.5 mm long; ovaries of 2 lengths in different flowers, 6-7 mm long and 4.5-5 mm long. Capsules green, brown, or purplish red, oblong, 8-10 mm long, incompletely septicidal, deeply grooved between carpels. Seeds brown, 2-3.5 mm long, winged" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1279).

Habitat/ecology:  This small, fast-growing, shrubby tree is often used to produce shade for young forest trees and coffee. It rapidly fills any available space after disturbance, displacing slower growing native species (Smith, 1985; p. 195).

Propagation:  Wind-dispersed seed.

Native range:  India and eastward to New Guinea.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. (1969) (p. 10) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 46694 (US), Fosberg 46701 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Woleai Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1968) (voucher ID: BNM 1414) Taxon name on voucher: Melochia compacta Hochr.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1279)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2012) (p. 48) Vouchers cited: A. Lau & D. Frohlich 2010021901 (BISH), G. Clarke, L.W. Cuddihy, L. Yoshida & C. Forn ESP 340 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1279)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1279)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (pp. 17-18) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer, P. Bily & F. Duvall H50227 (BISH, PTBG), Crosby s.n. (BISH 70257)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1279) Voucher cited: Ewart III 7 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2007) (p. 11) Voucher cited: M. Keir s.n. (BISH 695025)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Malakal Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Malakal Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1970) (voucher ID: BNM 770) Taxon name on voucher: Melochia compacta Hochr.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Malakal Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1967) (voucher ID: BNM 772) Taxon name on voucher: Melochia compacta Hochr.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1967) (voucher ID: BNM 773) Taxon name on voucher: Melochia compacta Hochr.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Urukthapel Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 168)
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 60)
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)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 47) A common and characteristic shrub or small tree in old clarings, secondary forests, etc., at low and medium altitudes.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 91)

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)	Australia (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011) Western Australia
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)
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
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (p. 19)

Comments:  Fosberg et al. (1979; p. 168) list as native to Marianas and Caroline Islands.

Control: 

Chemical:  "Sensitive to 2,4-D and dicamba and probably to other hormone-type herbicides. HAVO staff report control with triclopyr amine at 10% of product in water applied to cut stumps (Chris Zimmer, HAVO). Sensitive to glyphosate" (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:
Excerpt from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".
Fact sheet from "Common forest trees of Hawaii" (PDF format).

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

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

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

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1967. Voucher specimen #BNM772(Hardy 55).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1967. Voucher specimen #BNM773(Cheatham 151).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1968. Voucher specimen #BNM1414(Blackburn, B.S. 249).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1970. Voucher specimen #BNM770(Salsedo 349).

Foreman, D. B. 1971. A check list of the vascular plants of Bougainville, with descriptions of some common forest trees. Botany Bulletin No. 5. Division of Botany, Department of Forests. Lae, New Guinea. 194 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. 1969. A collection of plants from Fais, Caroline Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 133. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 15 pp.

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

Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex. 2007. New plant records from O‘ahu for 2006. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2006. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 96:8-13.

Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex. 2012. New plant records for the Hawaiian Islands 2010-2011. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2011. Part II: Plants. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 113:27-54.

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

Little, Elbert L./Skolmen, Roger G. 1989. Common forest trees of Hawaii (native and introduced). USDA Agriculture Handbook 679. Washington, D.C. 377 pp. + plates.

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

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

Neal, Marie C. 1965. In Gardens of Hawaii. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication 50, Bishop Museum Press. 924 pp.

Oppenheimer, Hank L. 2004. New Hawaiian plant records for 2003. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2003. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 79:8-20.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1993. Flora of Australia. Vol. 50, Oceanic islands 2. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Smith, Clifford W. 1985. Impact of Alien Plants on Hawai‘i's Native Biota. In: Stone, Charles P. and Scott, J. Michael, eds. Hawai‘i's terrestrial ecosystems: preservation and Management. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, Manoa.

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

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

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).