Myoporum laetum G. Forst., Scrophulariaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 6 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: New Zealand manatoka, myoporum

Maori (NZ): ngaio

Spanish: mioporo

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree to ca 12 m high with rough furrowed bark, much less commonly a shrub, generally of open habit with foliage towards end of branches. Leaf buds black or greenish black, rarely green, viscid, drying black. Petiole ca 1-1.5 cm long, scarcely distinct from attenuate base of lamina. Lamina 4-14 x 1-5-(6) cm, narrow- to broad-elliptic or obovate, often thick and almost fleshy, nearly always prominently dotted with pellucid glands, usually serrate to serrulate in upper 1/2, sometimes entire; apex mucronate, acute or short-acuminate. Juvenile leaves completely serrate. Flowers (1)-2-6; pedicels ca 10 mm long at anthesis. Calyx 2-3 mm long, divided almost to base; lobes lanceolate to ovate, acute to acuminate. Corolla 10-15 mm diameter; lobes greater than tube, white with purple dots and white-bearded inside. Style sparsely hairy. Drupe 5-10 mm long, narrow- to broad-ovoid or oblong, mauve to purple or reddish purple, occasionally white" (Webb et al., 1988; pp. 847-848).

Habitat/ecology:  In California, naturalized in coastal riparian areas (California Invasive Plant Council).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  New Zealand; cultivated and naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 490, 536, 555) Voucher cited: Danton B(676)643. "Este pequeño árbol resistente es plantado desde mucho tiempo en el pueblo de San Juan Bautista donde se puede ver algunos grandes ejemplares.  Se trata de una planta bien adaptada al clima del Archipiélago como a las orillas del mar".

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	native	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (pp. 847-848) "Mostly coastal but sometimes extending well inland".
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Reported as an invasive species in California per California Invasive Plant Council.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Myoporum laetum, please let us know.