Trevesia palmata (DC.) Vis., Araliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Gastonia palmata Roxb. ex Lindl.; Gilibertia palmata (Roxb. ex Lindl.) DC.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: ci tong cao

English: snowflakeplant, snowflaketree

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Trees, evergreen, to 8 m tall. Trunk to ca. 15 cm d.b.h.; branches prickly, farinose stellate pubescent. Leaves simple; petiole often prickly, 30-70 (-90) cm; stipules united into a 2-lobed sheath; blade large, 60-90 cm wide, leathery, both surfaces glabrous or with scattered stellate hairs, lateral veins distinct on both surfaces, deeply 5-9-lobed; lobes narrowly ovate-lanceolate, margin serrate, apex acuminate. Inflorescence a panicle of umbels, ca. 45 cm, densely farinose stellate pubescent when young, glabrescent; peduncles 4-17 cm; umbels 4-5 cm in diameter, 25-45-flowered; pedicels 1.5-2 cm. Calyx rim 1-2 mm, farinose stellate pubescent. Stamens 7-12. Ovary 7-12-carpellate. Fruit subglobose to compressed-globose, 1-1.8 cm in diameter, smooth or ribbed; styles united, conic, 2-4 mm, stout, persistent"  (Flora of China online).

Habitat/ecology:  In China (native): "mixed forests on mountain slopes; 600-2000 m"  (Flora of China online).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  India eastward through China and southeastern Asia; also cultivated (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1961) (voucher ID: BISH 73039) Taxon name on voucher: Trevesia palmata

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.). 1961. Voucher specimen #BISH73039(Potter, C. s.n.).

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).