Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq., Malvaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: dadangsi, masiksik lahe

Chinese: fei dao ci shuo ma

English: black bush, burweed, Sacramento bur, Sacromento burbark, triumfetta

French: cousin-petit, mahot-cousinrouge, petit mahot-cousin, tête à nègre

Spanish: cadillo de perro, pegadillo

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Perennial herbs or subshrubs to ca 5-20 dm tall; stems erect, younger ones densely stellate pubescent, glabrate with age.  Leaves variable in shape, usually broadly ovate to lanceolate, 4-20 cm long, 3.5-8 cm wide, usually slightly 3-lobed, 3-nerved from base, stellate pubescent, more densely so on lower surface, margins irregularly serrate-dentate, apex acuminate, base very broadly cuneate to truncate, rarely subcordate, petioles 1.5-6 cm long.  Sepals linear, 4-7 mm long, apex with a filiform subapical appendage; petals yellow, narrowly oblanceolate, 3.5-6.5 mm long; stamens 15-20.  Capsules globose, indehiscent, 4-5 mm in diameter, puberulent, glabrate with age, covered with retrorsely setose, hooked bristles"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1294).

"An erect shrub to 1.5 m tall; leaves ovate-oblong, 3-lobed; serrate; flowers small yellow axillary clustered; fruits with scattered reflexed hairs on the hooked spines"  (Stone, 1970; p. 406).

Similar to T. rhomboidea except with longer, hairy spines (Whistler, 1983; p. 69).

Habitat/ecology:  "Burweed grows in pinelands and hammocks in Florida (Long and Lakela 1976) and in roadsides, neglected pastures, and wastelands in Puerto Rico. It grows in sand to clay soils with pH values from about 5.5 to 8.0. In Puerto Rico, burweed grows from near sea level to about 700 m in elevation. This diverse habitat receives annual precipitation from about 900 to 2200 mm. In Hawaii, it grows from sea level to 1,067 m in elevation in areas with annual rainfalls of 760 to 1500 mm (Haselwood and Motter 1966). The species needs disturbance for establishment. If given an equal start, it competes well with other herbs, grasses, and shrubs in full sun or partial shade. Burweed may be found growing in small patches and as single, dispersed plants"  (Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories).  "Prevents the establishment of native species in disturbed forest sites.  Burs a nuisance to man and beast in pastures and forests"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized and often common in dry, disturbed sites, 30-860 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1294). Arid lowlands and moist uplands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 131).

Propagation:  Burs that stick to clothing and fur.

Native range:  Tropical America, but now a pan-tropical weed.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Rapa Nui (Easter) Island	Rapa Nui (Easter) Island (Isla de Pasqua)	native	Francis, John K., ed. (2009) "It was thought that burweed had been recently introduced to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), but fossil pollen indicates that it has been present for at least 35,000 years" (National Geographic Society 2001, cited in Francis, 2009).
Chile (offshore islands) Rapa Nui (Easter) Island	Rapa Nui (Easter) Island (Isla de Pasqua)	probably introduced abo. intro.	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 78)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 32) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 31419 (US, BISH, Fo), Falanruw 2190 (US), Falanruw 1879 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 659383) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1950) (voucher ID: PTBG 23921) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 32) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 31726 (US), Falanruw 1894 (US), Fosberg 31700 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 59) Vouchers cited: CBM-BS-58874, CBM-BS-59208
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 659382) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 32) Voucher cited: Anderson 609 (US, BISH, Fo)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 659384) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Fernandina Group	Fernandina Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Alcedo, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Cerro Azul, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 110) Naturalized
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 406) Vouchers cited: Stone 3904 (GUAM), Stone 3920 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1918) (voucher ID: BISH 184923) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1918) (voucher ID: BISH 184924) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (year unknown) (voucher ID: BISH 184925) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1954) (voucher ID: BISH 659381) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1293-1294)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1293-1294)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1293-1294) Voucher cited: Forbes s. n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wysong, Michael/Hughes, Guy/Wood, K. R. (2007) (p. 7) Voucher cited: Hughes 1137 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1293-1294)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 159)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1909) (voucher ID: BISH 184958) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 370)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 31) In dry thickets at low and medium altitudes.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28645) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 63) Voucher: Flynn 6908 (PTBG, US)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 230) Taxon name on voucher: Triumfetta semitriloba

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) Fields, wastelands.

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	Francis, John K., ed. (2009)

Comments:  On State of Hawai‘i noxious species list.

Control: 

Physical:  "Burs stick to clothing and fur, so sanitation measures and control before Sacramento bur sets seed are critical to prevent its spread"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Chemical: "Sensitive to foliar drizzle applications of triclopyr and of glyphosate.  On Koai‘e trail, Waimea Canyon, Kaua‘i, initially suppressed by application of mixture of triclopyr and glyphosate, each at 1 lb/acre; subsequently emerging seedlings by half that rate"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:
Excerpt from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Fact sheet from "Wildland shrubs of the United States and its territories: thamnic descriptions" (PDF format).

Additional online information about Triumfetta semitriloba is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 0. Voucher specimen #BISH 184925 (Thompson, J.B. 109).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1909. Voucher specimen #BISH 184958 (Franc, I. 571).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1918. Voucher specimen #BISH 184923 (Nelson, P. 257).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1918. Voucher specimen #BISH 184924 (Nelson, P. 425).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 659382 (Fosberg, F.R. 31726).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 659383 (Fosberg, F.R. 31419).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 659384 (Fosberg, F.R. 31793).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1954. Voucher specimen #BISH 659381 (Fosberg, F.R. 35407).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 28645 (Bristol, M.L. 2114).

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Francis, John K., ed. 2009. Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions General Technical Report IITF-WB-1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry and Shrub Sciences Laboratory (online resource).

Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. 2010. Checklist of the vascular plants of Pohnpei with local names and uses. Allertonia, in press. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 146 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

McMullen, C. K. 1999. Flowering plants of the Galápagos. Comstock Pub. Assoc., Ithaca, N.Y. 370 p.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 3 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 628 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2001. Voucher specimen #PTBG230(Tim Flynn 6908).

Ohba, T. 1994. Flora and vegetation of the northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. Biological Expedition to the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. In A. Asakua & T. Furuki, eds.  Natural History Research, Special issue no. 1, Chiba, Japan: Natural History Museum and Institute. pp. 13-69.

Skottsberg, Carl. 1953. The natural history of Juan Fernandez and Easter Island. Vol. II, Botany. Almqvist &l; Wiksells, Uppsala. 960 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

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

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Whistler, W. A. 1983. Weed Handbook of Western Polynesia. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Eschborn. 151 pp.

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.

Wysong, Michael/Hughes, Guy/Wood, K. R. 2007. New Hawaiian plant records for the island of Moloka‘i. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2006. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 96:1-8.

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