Rhus taitensis Guillaumin, Anacardiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 7 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Rhus taitensis)

Other Latin names:  Melanococca taitensis (Guillemin) Young; Rhus simaroubifolia A. Gray

Common name(s): [more details]

Niuean: tavahi

Samoan: tavai

Tongan: tavahi

Unknown: tavahi, tavai

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Large tree with alternate, pinnately compound leaves, tiny white flowers, and small, purple, fleshy fruits." (Botanical Inventory of Ta'u Unit, pp. 41-42)

"Medium to large forest tree with young parts more or less puberulent. Leaves large, alternate, odd-pinnate, leaflets up to 19 or more, oblong, bluntly pointed, base obliquely in equilateral, up to 10 cm. or more long, short-petiolulate. Flowers small, white, numerous, in large, terminal, compound clusters 30 cm. or more long." (Plants of Tonga, p. 171)

"Large tree up to 30 m or more in height, with puberulent young stems and with the trunk base typically extending into low buttresses; bark mottled brown, rough, inner bark red-brown to pink oozing white sap, wood cream-colored. Leaves odd- (sometimes even-) pinnately compound, alternate, rachis mostly 15-50 cm long, pubescent, leaflets 7-19, opposite or sometimes alternate, blades mostly elliptic, 4-20 cm long, reddish when young, oblique at the base, rounded or broadly acute to acuminate at the tip; surfaces pubescent to subglabrous,l upper side darker with red to yellow veinns, veins of lower side often pubescent; margins entire; petiolule 1-5 mm long. Inflorescence a terminal or upper-axillary, widely branching, many-flowered panicle 8-30 cm long, with a densely pubescent axis; flowers unisexual, trees dioecious. Calyx deeply divided into 5 subround lobes 0.5-1 mm long, subsessile. Corolla rotate, with 5 white to pink, orbicular petals 1.5-2 mm long. Ovary of female flower superior; styles 3, each with a short terminal stigma; ovary vestigial in the male flower. Stamens of male flowers 5, free, absent in the female flowers. Fruit a shiny black, compressed-ellipsoid drupe 3-5 mm in diameter. Flowering typically from March to September (but sometimes beyond this, e.g., December), fruiting during most months (and perhaps persisting on the inflorescence), but not at the same time as flowering, with a peak from April to October (Trail n.d.). ¶Distinguishable by its large tree habit; milky sap; alternate, odd-pinnately compound leaves that are reddish when young; large dense panicles of tiny white to pink, 5-parted flowers; and small, shiny black drupes." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, pp. 21-22)

Habitat/ecology:  "In Samoa, the tree is common to abundant in disturbed forest, and often dominates mature secondary forest, on all the main islands, reported from near sea level to 750 m elevation. Its abundance in what appears to be mature primary forest indicates some past major disturbance, such as clearing for temporary plantations or recent hurricane damage. . . . The fruits are a favorite food for pigeons and doves, which readily disperse the seeds." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 20)

". . .it is essentially a secondary forest species and seedlings were seen [PIER ed.: on Niue] only in relatively well illuminated places. . . .this species was a pioneer on Eua, Tonga. . . .the pioneering ability might be due to the secretion of substances that inhibited the growth of competitors." (Sykes, 1970, p. 42)

In Palau, flowers observed from June-August and in December; fruits observed July-October. (Forests of Palau)

On Ta'u (American Samoa), "Common to abundant in lowland and especially secondary forest, reported from 10 to 700 m." (Botanical Inventory of Ta'u Unit, pp. 41-42)

In Tonga: "in forest, top of mountains..., alt. 100 m."; "[f]requent throughout Tonga"; "lower margin of slope forest"; "clearing near center of island, infrequent"; "open forest near center of island"; "forest, terrace"; "open forest near...village." (Plants of Tonga, pp. 171-172)

Propagation:  (no propagation information known by PIER)

Native range:  "Probably indigenous from the Philippines and Malaysia to the Society Islands." (Sykes, 1970, p. 43)

"This tree is indigenous to Samoa, and elsewhere in Polynesia occurs in 'Uvea, the Horne Islands, Tonga (all the main high islands), Niue, and the Society Islands (Tahiti and Mo'orea), but is strangely absent from the Cook Islands." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 20)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  (no invaded habitats or impacts known by PIER; please let us know if you know of such information we should add here)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	native	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (pp. 27, 41-42) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9245
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Chuuk Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
French Polynesia French Polynesia Islands	French Polynesia Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Society Islands	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20) as 'Uvea
Niue Niue	Niue Island		Sykes, W. R. (1970) (pp. 42-43) Vouchers cited: CHR 170294, CHR 170295, CHR 170296, CHR 170297nd seedlings were seen [PIER ed.: on Niue] only in relatively well illuminated places." (Sykes, 1970, p. 42) "...it is essentially a secondary forest species and seedlings were seen only in relatively well illuminated places." (Sykes, 1970, p. 42)
Niue Niue	Niue Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Pacific Pacific	Melanesia	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20)
Pacific Pacific	Polynesia		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 172) "Philippines to Polynesia."
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Kitalong, Ann Hillmann (2008) (p. 15) In Palau, flowers observed from June-August and in December; fruits observed July-October.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 172) "Philippines to Polynesia."
Samoa Samoa	Samoa	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20) "on all the main islands" (going to see if there is more info and/or specimens cited in Plants of Tonga)
Samoa Samoa	Samoa		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Kao Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 171) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15972
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Kao Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 171) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15773
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Tofua Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 171) "Frequent throughout Tonga."
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 4-5; 33; 171) Vouchers cited: Hüaut;rlimann 250; Yuncker 15365
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Kanatea Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 171) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 10566; Hüaut;rlimann 139
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuatoputapu Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 172) Voucher cited: Hüaut;rlimann 346
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 171) Source cited: Crosby
Vanuatu &Icarat;les Torrès	Tégua		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Banks Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Êfaté (Efete) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Erromango Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Espirito Santo Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Futuna Island	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20) as the Horne Islands
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Futuna Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 20)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

Comments:  "Some authorities consider that Rhus simarubaefolia Gray, which was described from Fiji, is synonymous with R. taitiensis." (Sykes, 1970, p. 43)

". . .most authors now consider this [Rhus simarubifolia] to be included in Rhus taitensis." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 20)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Rhus taitensis, please let us know.