Merremia tuberosa (L.) Rendle, Convolvulaceae

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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:  Ipomoea tuberosa L.; Operculina tuberosa (L.) Meisn.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: alarrak

English: Hawaiian wood rose, Spanish arborvine, Spanish woodbine, regretvine, wood rose, yellow morning-glory

French: liane à tonelle, liane de Gondelour, liane jaune, liane sultane jaune, rose de bois

Hawaiian: pilikai

Samoan: losa vao

Spanish: rosa de madera

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Glabrous climber with tuberous roots; leaves 6-20 cm long and wider than long, usually palmately 7-parted, 2 basal lobes smallest, laterals larger, central lobe longest and obovate-acuminate; petiole about as long as blade; peduncles few flowered, as long or longer than petiole; calyx-lobes broad, rounded, obovate, in flower 2-3 cm long, enlarging as fruit matures to 5-7 cm long; corolla about 4-5 cm long, 5-6 cm wide across the limb, bright-yellow; ovary glabrous; capsule 2 cm long, 3 cm wide approximately, pale brown, thin-walled, enclosed in calyx; seeds 1.5 cm long, ovoid, dull black, pubescent on angles"  (Stone, 1970; p. 496).

Habitat/ecology:  This light-loving, perennial vine can smother tall forest canopies. It grows in open mesic forests from sea level to 1,400 m. Often cultivated for its ornamental flowers and fruits (C. W. Smith, 1985; p. 195). "Smothers trees and smaller plants in disturbed lowland forests"  (Motooka et al., 2003).  In Fiji, "infrequently becoming naturalized near sea level" (Smith, 1991; p. 47). In Hawai‘i, "commonly cultivated and sparingly naturalized in disturbed sites, 25-560m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 563-564). In New Caledonia, "assez commun dans les jardins à Nouméa" (MacKee, 1994; p. 42). "cultivée et subspontanée, c'est une espèce très envahissante, rencontrée aussi dans les haies et en bordure des chemins" (Heine, 1984; p. 36).

Propagation:  Mostly distributed by humans from discarded cuttings and floral arrangements containing seeds. Seeds remain viable for years.

Native range:  Origin Mesoamerica; also cultivated and widely naturalized in the tropics (GRIN).

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	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 11)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 664893) Taxon name on voucher: Merremia tuberosa (L.) Rendle
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. (2002) (p. 63)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 47-48)
French Polynesia Clipperton Island	Clipperton (Arue, Avera) Island		Sachet, M.-H. (1962) (p. 94)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 9291 (PAP) Ornementale rare.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 558259) Taxon name on voucher: Merremia tuberosa (L.) Rendle
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 496) Voucher cited: McGregor 551
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1911) (voucher ID: BISH 140392) Taxon name on voucher: Merremia tuberosa (L.) Rendle
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1918) (voucher ID: BISH 140393) Taxon name on voucher: Merremia tuberosa (L.) Rendle
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 563-564) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 563-564) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (p. 22) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer & J. Penniman H50624 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 563-564) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2006) (p. 11) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H30417 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 563-564) Sparingly naturalized.
Kiribati Phoenix Islands	Kanton Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Stoddart, D. R. (1994) (p. 20) Seen in 1975.
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 227)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 100) Not seen on this survey and may no longer be present.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 42) Vouchers cited: Pancher 532, Balansa 542, Franc 1373, MacKee 21992 Spontané, "liane cultivé très envahissante"
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 74) Vouchers cited: CHR 169784, CHR 169789
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 5)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 99) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9967 (BISH)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 12)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 10)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Johnston Atoll	Johnston Island	introduced cultivated	Amerson, A. Binion, Jr./Shelton, Philip C. (1976) (p. 59)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 224) Ornamental.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Envahissant"
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013) Envahissant principalement dans les milieux perturbés.

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) Texas
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  A problem species in Hawai‘i, observed to be weakly to moderately invasive on Guam and Saipan. Usually out-competed in Micronesia by more aggressive invasive species.

Quite prevalent and aggressive on Niue (Space & Flynn, 2000).

Planting of this species is prohibited in Miami-Dade County, Florida (U.S.) (Hunsberger, 2001).

Control: 

Physical:  Seedlings can be hand pulled.

Chemical:  Basal application of a triclopyr herbicide mixed with an oil diluent (Randall & Marinelli, 1996; p. 149). Remove seed pods to prevent reinfestation and recheck periodically for new seedlings.  "Probably susceptible to hormone-type herbicides, as this family tends to be"  (Motooka et al., 2003).