Syncarpia glomulifera (Sm.) Nied., Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Metrosideros glomulifera Smith; Syncarpia laurifolia Tenore

Common name(s): [more details]

English: lustre wood, turpentine myrtle, turpentine tree

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree up to ca 40 m tall; bark fibrous, furrowed. Leaves often appearing in whorls of 4 from 2 pairs being close together; petioles 0.8-1.5 cm long; blades ovate or narrowly ovate, apex obtuse to obtusely acuminate, base cuneate to rounded, 4-10 cm X 1.3-3.5 cm, glabrous above, hoary below. Flowers 6-10 together fused into a head, heads subtended by 2-4 bracts, peduncles 1-3 cm long, heads pubescent at flowering; petals white, ca 3 mm long, pubescent. Fruiting heads 1.2-1.5 cm across" (Stanley & Ross, 1986; vol. 2, p. 200).

Habitat/ecology:  In its native range (Australia), in eucalypt communities in higher rainfall areas. In Hawai‘i, extensively planted; "reported as reproducing and escaped at least in Kamakou Preserve, Moloka‘i" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 948).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Australia

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		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 166435) Taxon name on voucher: Syncarpia glomulifera (Sm.) Nied.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 298) Voucher cited: DF 1095 (Damanu 209)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 33229) Taxon name on voucher: Syncarpia glomulifera (Sm.) Nied.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 94) "Potential invader".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 948)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 948)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 948)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 16) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H119912 (BISH), Oppenheimer, R. Platz & C. Hill H30114 (BISH, PTBG) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 948)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank (2010) (p. 37) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H90822 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 948)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 120) Relic of cultivation.

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)	New South Wales	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 164)

Comments:  Used in forestry plantings. Naturalizing in Tahiti and Hawai‘i.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Syncarpia glomulifera, please let us know.