Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton, Bignoniaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk (based on second screen), score: 1 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Bignonia pentaphylla L.; Tabebuia pallida auct. non (L.) Hemsley; Tabebuia pentaphylla Hemsl.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: pink manjack, pink tabebuia, pink tecoma, pink trumpet tree, white cedar

Spanish: roble, roble blanco

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree up to 15 m or more in height. Leaves palmately compound, opposite, leaflets 3-5, blades elliptic to oblanceolate or obovate, 6-16 cm long, leathery, acute to blunt at the tip, acute to rounded or oblique at the base; surfaces glabrous; margins entire; petiole 3-12 cm long. Inflorescence of one to several flowers borne in short terminal clusters. Corolla sympetalous, somewhat biabiate, campanulate, 6-9 cm long, with 5 rounded lobes at the tip, pink or lavender with a pale yellow throat. Fruit a narrow cylindrical capsule 7-16 cm long, opening along two seams to release the numerous winged seeds" (Whistler and Steele, 1999; p. 40).

Habitat/ecology:  "In Puerto Rico, it is widespread in abandoned pastures and secondary forests and found in dry or wet natural forests, except for the highest elevations in the Luquillo Mountains and the Cordillera Central. Elsewhere in the Caribbean, roble is particularly common in dry, coastal woodlands and in secondary forests" (Silvics of Tabebuia heterophylla).

Propagation:  Wind-borne seed.

Native range:  West Indies, cultivated throughout much of the world's tropics for its showy, pinkish flowers (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 188).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 38)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 252) As Tabebuia pallida
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 440885) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Puluwat (Pwonowót) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Manner, H. I./Mallon, E. (1989) (p. 59) Voucher cited: Manner & Mallon 198 (GUAM)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 252) As Tabebuia pallida
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 440901) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 613421) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L. (1993) (p. 13) Voucher cited: Fosberg 58453 (US, BISH)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 74) Voucher cited: D.H. Lorence 9986 (PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 440891) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 649344) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 144) Vouchers cited: DA 9666, DA 16413, DA 12293
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1961) (voucher ID: BISH 33657) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia pentaphylla
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 33658) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia pentaphylla
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 33659) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia pentaphylla
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 40843) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 22)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 22)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 50) Voucher cited: E. Cheung 0001
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (pp. 530-531) Vouchers cited: Stone 4752 (GUAM), Stone 5061 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 252) As Tabebuia pallida
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 613422) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 613427) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Parker, James L./Parsons, Bobby (2012) (p. 66) Voucher cited: J. Parker & R. Parsons BIED139 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. (2000) (p. 18)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 8) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H40113 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer H40152 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (p. 10) Vouchers cited: F. Rauch s.n. (BISH 599682), Oppenheimer H120202 (BISH, PTBG)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 252) As Tabebuia pallida
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 40) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 48030, Whistler 11217 Seedlings growing around and beyond planted trees.
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 440886) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 6) "Rare; only a couple trees observed near private residences".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 75)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 22) Vouchers cited: Suprin 1436 (NOU), MacKee 40190, MacKee 41851. As Tabebuia pallida but probably this species based on other Pacific specimens and the notation "Peut-être, le Bignonia pentaphylla".
Palau Kayangel Atoll	Kayangel Islet	introduced invasive	Miles, Joel (2015) (p. 2) ref states "Cultivated"
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 86)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Kayangel (Ngcheangel) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 8) Voucher: Lorence 9792 (PTBG, BNM, NY,TAMU, US)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Kayangel (Ngcheangel) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 85) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 252) As Tabebuia pallida
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 82)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1974) (voucher ID: BNM 10063) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia pallida Miers.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 82)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 82)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 112)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-14)

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. 257) Ornamental.
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 84) Cultivated only

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	invasive cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 40) Art Whistler, pers. obs.
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	cultivated	Topp, J. M. W. (1988) (p. 12)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (pp. 26, 33)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Rivers, Julie (2004) (pp. 3, 7) As Tabebuia pallida but probably Tabebuia heterophylla based on voucher by Whistler and other references.
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1995) (voucher ID: PTBG 37880) Taxon name on voucher: Tabebuia pentaphylla (l.) Hems.
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Agalega Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. (1983) (p. 115) Voucher cited: Stoddart 7267 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Coetivy Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 146) Voucher cited: Robertson 3153 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 47)

Comments:  Invasive in Hawai‘i. Reported naturalizing on Kwajalein (Whistler and Steele, 1999; p. 40). Naturalized in some locations on Nimitz Hill, Guam (Bart Lawrence, personal communication). Reported to be a problem species on Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean (Whistler & Steele, 1999; p. 40).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Tabebuia heterophylla, please let us know.