Quisqualis indica L., Combretaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: quisqualis, Rangoon creeper

Spanish: quiscual

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Ligneous vine to 2.5 m long or more; petioles 3-10 mm long, these curved with display of blades; petioles 6-8 mm long; leaf blades 3.5-15 cm long, 1.5-5.5 cm wide, elliptic to oblong or ovate to lanceolate, rather abruptly acuminate apically, obtuse to rounded basally; flowers in panicles 10-15 cm long, on peduncles 2-6 cm long; bracts lance-subulate; hypanthium 3-6 (7) cm long, brightly colored; calyx lobes 1.5-2.5 mm long; petals opening white, turning red, 8-16 mm long; fruit 30-35 mm long, 10-12 mm thick, ovate-elliptic in profile, 5-winged, uncommonly produced" (Welsh, 1998; p. 64).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Caledonia, "assez commun dans les jardins" (MacKee, 1994; p. 29). In Sri Lanka, "along primary forest margins and in secondary forest and woodlands, and alongside riverbanks from sea-level up to c. 100 m" (Dassanayake, 1983; pp. 31-32).  Persisting and weedy around old settlements in Northern Territory, Australia (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 127).  In Papua New Guinea, "a large climber found along the margins of primary forest, along river banks or in secondary forest; probably native to Papuasia, but it could have been introduced"  (Womersley, 1978; p. 51).

Propagation:  Seed, often water-dispersed. "It spreads by root suckers as well as by seed" (Flora of Australia, Vol. 50).

Native range:  Africa to southeast Asia, Malesia, China and Taiwan; widely cultivated and 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
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 70)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 185)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (p. 207) Voucher cited: Falanruw 3355 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1981) (voucher ID: BISH 490184) Taxon name on voucher: Quisqualis indica L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 416-417) Voucher cited: Smith 6875
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 147758) Taxon name on voucher: Quisqualis indica L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 416-417) Voucher cited: DA 12327
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1961) (voucher ID: BISH 15111) Taxon name on voucher: Quisqualis indica L.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 64) Voucher cited: Moore 317
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 64) Vouchers cited: Florence 2616, BRY 25447, BRY 26311
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 492775) Taxon name on voucher: Quisqualis indica L.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 50)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. (2000) (p. 20)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 82)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (pp. 115-116) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58790 (US), Thaman & Manner 113 (SUVA)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 29) Vouchers cited: Däniker 2686, Green 1300 (NOU), MacKee 11926, Nasi in MacKee 40111, Suprin 1573 (NOU), Suprin in MacKee 43069 Spontané
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 60) Voucher cited: CHR 169744
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 89) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9966 (BISH)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 46)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 16, 86)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2008)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 16, 82)
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. (2008)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	probably native	Womersley, John S., ed. (1978) (p. 51)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417454) Taxon name on voucher: Quisqualis indica L.
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 200) "Occasional about dwellings in Tonga".
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 41373) Taxon name on voucher: Quisqualis indica L.

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)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 127) Persisting and weedy.
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)

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. 17) Vouchers cited: 1898, C.W. Andrews (K); D.A. Powell 660 (K); B.A. Mitchell 213 (CBG, K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Cousin Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Fosberg 52132 (US)

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

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 147758 (Smith, A.C. 6875).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1959. Voucher specimen #BISH 41373 (Soakai, E. 1046).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1961. Voucher specimen #BISH 15111 (Pillay, S. 12327).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1973. Voucher specimen #BISH 417454 (Whistler, W.A. W 776).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1981. Voucher specimen #BISH 490184 (Teraoka, W. 434).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 492775 (Florence, J. 2616).

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Dassanayake, M. D., gen. ed. 1983. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Vol IV. Amerind Pub. Co., New Delhi. 532 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1983. Natural history of Cousin Island. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. 1980. Noteworthy Micronesian plants 4. Micronesica 16(2):201-210.

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

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2008. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

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

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2008. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. (In press).

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. 2000. Survey of invasive or potentially invasive cultivated plants in Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers No. 65. 35 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2008. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Womersley, John S., ed. 1978. Handbooks of the flora of Papua New Guinea, vol. 1. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne. 278 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.