Russelia equisetiformis Schlecht. & Cham., Plantaginaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk, score: -2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: coral plant, coralplant, firecracker flower, fountainplant

French: plante corail

I-Kiribati: te kaibaun

Maori (Cook Islands): menemene

Marshallese: albokbororo

Nauruan: dogaibwangi, dokaibangi, dugaibangi

Niuean: tamafine

Spanish: lluvia de coral, lluvia de fuego

Tongan: toa

Tuvaluan: inouku loa

Habit:  shrub

Description: 

Genus: "Strongly branched shrubs, erect or straggling, the stem angular-ribbed; leaves verticillate or opposite, small, the upper ones often minute or reduced to scales; inflorescences cymose-paniculate, 1-4-flowered; flowers showy, the pedicels ebracteolate; calyx small, deeply 5-partite nearly to base, the lobes lanceolate to ovate, subequal; corolla bright red, tubular to tubular-campanulate, the tube long, widened toward apex, not ventrally spurred or saccate, the throat open, the limb small, 5-lobed, the lobes erecto-patent to spreading, rounded, subequal, the 2 posterior ones external in bud, connate about halfway, not hooded nor enclosing anthers; stamens 4, included within corolla tube, didynamous, the anthers 2-locular, the locules divergent or not, the staminode absent (or very minute); style filiform, upcurved and slightly 2-lobed at apex, the stigma single, entire or slightly bilobed; capsule globose or broadly ellipsoid, septicidally 4-valved, the valves bifid, the seeds numerous, small, oblong."  (Smith, 1991)

Species: "Shrub, spreading, to 1.5 m high with numerous green, drooping, angular stems.  Leaves simple, arranged in whorls of five to eight, blade usually reduced to linear scales but sometimes ovate to elliptic, 1-2.5 cm long.  Flowers continuously through the year; flowers borne in whorls of one to four in loose, stalked cymes at the leaf axils.  Corolla with fused petals, tubular, 1.5-2.5 cm long, shallowly five-lobed at the tip, bright red.  Fruit a subglobose capsule, infrequently formed in cultivation"  (Whistler, 2000; pp. 402-403).

"Shrub to 1.5 m high; leaves up to 7 in a whorl, ovate, to 2 cm long, but mostly reduced  to linear scales; corolla tubular, bright read, 15-25 mm long, the lobes about 3 mm long" (Smith, 1991; pp. 77-78).

"Distinguishable by the shrubby habit, drooping branches, tiny bract-like leaves in whorls at the axils, and red tubular flowers five-lobed at the tip.  The flowers are very similar to those of Odontonema tubiforme, which is easily distinguished by its bread rather than scale-like leaves"  (Whistler, 2000; p. 402).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "cultivated and freely naturalized in sandy clearings and along streets and roadsides near sea level"  (Smith, 1991; pp. 77-78).  In Niue, "large clumps of it grow adventively in a number of places by the roadside"  (Sykes, 1970; p. 192). In New Caledonia, "cultivée dans les jardins et parfois naturalisé" (MacKee, 1994; p. 129). Arid lowlands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 176).

Propagation:  Seed, cuttings.

Native range:  "Mexico, now widely cultivated throughout the tropics and readily naturalizing"  (Smith, 1991; pp. 77-78).

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	Ta‘u Island	cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 62) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9209 (BISH)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	cultivated	Tschan, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 24)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kambara Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 78) Voucher cited: Smith 1289
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 78) Voucher cited: DA 16737
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 23) Voucher cited: Fosberg 11076 (BISH)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 268) Voucher cited: Grant 5086
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 268) Vouchers cited: Moore 210, BRY 25393a Escaping and persisting.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 3483 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 268)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2572 (PAP) Ornementale banale, tend à se naturaliser en milieu xérique.
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 3068 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Moruroa Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Takapoto Atoll	introduced cultivated	Sachet, M-H. (1983) (p. 36) Voucher cited: Sachet 2080 (US)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Takapoto Atoll	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: M.-H. Sachet 2080 (PAP)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Tikehau (Tikahau) Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 7110 (PAP) Ornementale subspontanée.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 6230 (PAP) Ornementale commune, subspontanée.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 526) Voucher cited: Stone 4731 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007) As Russelia juncea Zucc.
Kiribati Line Islands	Tabuaeran (Fanning) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Wester, Lyndon (1985) (p. 31) Persists in abandoned gardens.
Kiribati Line Islands	Teraina (Washington) Island	introduced cultivated	Wester, Lyndon (1985) (p. 31) Persists in abandoned gardens.
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Abemama Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10) Voucher: Imada 2003-170 (BISH 697781)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Butaritari Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Butaritari Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10) Voucher: Imada 2003-52 (BISH 697667)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Butaritari Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1972) (voucher ID: PTBG 32919) Taxon name on voucher: Russelia equisetiformiis
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Maiana Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10) Voucher: Imada 2003-99 (BISH 697714)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Marakei Atoll		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Onotoa Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Onotoa Atoll	cultivated	Moul, Edwin T. (1957) (p. 21) Vouchers cited: Moul 8167 (US), Moul 8307 (US), Moul 8387 (US)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tabiteuea Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1972) (voucher ID: PTBG 32918) Taxon name on voucher: Russelia equisetiformiis
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Ailinglaplap (Ailinglapalap) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Ebon (Epoon) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 103) Not seen on this survey and may no longer be present.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Likiep Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Likiep Atoll	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R. (1955) (p. 20) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 33858 (US), Fosberg 27046 (US)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 125)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Mejit (Mãjej) Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Utirik (Utrik, Utrõk) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Utirik (Utrik, Utrõk) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R. (1959) (p. 6) Voucher cited: Fosberg 36711 (US)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 195) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58678 (US), Scully 157N (US), Hassall 213 (SUVA)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 129) Voucher cited: Hoff 1232 (NOU)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 129) Voucher cited: Sarasin 888
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 129) Vouchers cited: Grunow s.n. (W), Däniker 156, Buchholz 1611, Guillaumin 8566, MacKee 8146, MacKee 27314
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 192) Vouchers cited: CRH 168692, 168694
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 107) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9680 (BISH) "Occasional about dwellings and also along roadsides as an escape".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 15) Voucher: BMW 7075 (BISH, CHR, BRI)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 102)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 65)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 250)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 65)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1966) (voucher ID: BNM 1398) Taxon name on voucher: Russelia equisetiformis S. & C.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 65)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 504) Often planted in gardens.
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	St. John, H. (1987) (p. 50) Voucher cited: Fosberg & B. Christian 11180
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 106)
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 241) "Occasional in villages".
Tuvalu Tuvalu (Ellis) Islands	Tuvalu Islands		Unknown (year unknown)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-13)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 38)

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. 248) Ornamental.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	probably native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 76) Cultivated only

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	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 126)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Russelia equisetiformis, please let us know.