Youngia japonica (L.) DC., Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Crepis japonica Benth.; Youngia lyrata Cassini

Common name(s): [more details]

English: asiatic hawksbeard, oriental hawksbeard

Fijian: mosita ni Viti

Tongan: fisi puna

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect, pubescent herb, the leaves mostly in basal rosette, stem with a few cauline leaves; basal leaves petiolate, oblanceolate, pinnately parted, lyrate, finely dentate, usually puberulent, about 3-15 cm long and up to 5 cm wide, the terminal lobe largest; cauline leaves usually only 1-3, subsessile, much smaller; heads several to many in a panicle, 7-8 mm wide; involucre 5-6 mm long, with about 8 inner (longer) bracts; florets about 10-25; corolla about 5-6 mm long, yellow; achenes brown, about 1.8 mm long, with slender scaberulous ribs; pappus soft, white, 3 mm long, persistent"  (Stone, 1970; p. 579).

Habitat/ecology:  In Guam, "found usually in shady spots near houses" (Stone, 1970; p. 579). In Hawai‘i, "a common weed in often moist and shaded, disturbed sites, but also occurring in nearly intact wet forest, 0-1,400 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 377).  In Fiji, "found from near sea level to about 1,100 m as a weed in gardens and villages, on cleared land, and along roadsides and forest trails" (Smith, 1991; p. 267).  In New Guinea, "sometimes common in natural grassland at median altitudes, and an occasional weed of cultivation and plantations, particularly after other more vigorous weeds have been suppressed. Occurring at altitudes from 1000 to 3000 m" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 88). In New Caledonia, "largement répandu comme mauvaise herbe de jardin et en lieux frais incultes" (MacKee, 1994; p. 39). "Occasional in disturbed places, especially in lawns" (Whistler, 1988; p. 13).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  East Asia, Malaysia, India to Australia and some Pacific islands (Stone, 1970; p. 579).  "Japan, Korea, western China, and northwestern India to Malesia, widely adventive elsewhere" (Smith, 1991; p. 267).

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		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 13) Not common per Whistler. Voucher cited: Whistler 5733
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 294)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 294)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 267) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 801, DA 10410, Vaughan 3237, Smith 4794, Smith 8814, St. John 18305, DA 9576, DA 5624, DA 11105, DA 10066, DA 11475, DA 12607
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 82) Voucher cited: BRY 26629
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 82) Vouchers cited: BRY 25988, BRY 26041, Fosberg & Stone 61287
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 2437 (PAP), J. Florence 2530 (PAP), J. Florence 2759 (PAP), J. Florence 2912 (PAP), J. Florence 8758 (PAP), P. Birnbaum 5 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1981) (voucher ID: PTBG 37214) Taxon name on voucher: Youngia japonica (L.) DC.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rimatara (Rimitara) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 579)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 294)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 377)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 377)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 377)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 377)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 377)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 377)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2009) (p. 1) Voucher cited: Vander Velde 0520200901
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2009) (voucher ID: PTBG 49755) Taxon name on voucher: Youngia japonica
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 39-40) Vouchers cited: Brousmiche s.n., Rordorf s.n. (Z), MacKee 2404, MacKee 5133, MacKee 12080, MacKee 17615, MacKee 40668
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 39-40) Voucher cited: MacKee 33820
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 13)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 99)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Canfield, Joan E. (1980) (p. 200) Voucher cited: Otobed PW-10181
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago		Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 567) Scattered, not abundant.
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 38)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced invasive	Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 88) Occuring at altitudes from 1000 to 3000 m.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 622) As Crepis japonica. In old clearings, ravines, etc., chiefly at medium and higher altitudes.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 98)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 118)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 9) Voucher cited: Soakai 949 (EI)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 9) Vouchers cited: Lawrence 62, Ilolahia 54, Soakai 723, Soakai 1002
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 271) Vouhcer cited: Yuncker 15227

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)	Australia (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 389)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 290) In wasteland.
Japan Japan	Japan (country)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 389)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 91) Naturalised
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 389)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	uncertain if native	Ching-I Peng, ed. (2011) "Very common in wastelands, cultivated fields and on roadsides".

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 389)

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

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

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

References:

Ching-I Peng, ed. 2011. Digital flora of Taiwan (online resource).

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

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).

Foreman, D. B. 1971. A check list of the vascular plants of Bougainville, with descriptions of some common forest trees. Botany Bulletin No. 5. Division of Botany, Department of Forests. Lae, New Guinea. 194 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Canfield, Joan E. 1980. Noteworthy Micronesian plants 3. Micronesica 16(2):189-200.

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

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Haselwood, E. L./Motter, G. G. 1983. Handbook of Hawaiian Weeds. Second edition, revised and expanded by Robert T. Hirano. University of Hawaii Press. 491 pp.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 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.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

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

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

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 1981. Voucher specimen #PTBG37214(Art Whistler W 4783).

Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty]. 1984. Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for naturalists. Office of Forests, Division of Botany, Lae, Papua New Guinea. 638 pp. ISBN 9980-66-000-7.

Smith, Albert C. 1991. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 5. 626 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

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

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2009. Specimens from Likiep, Majuro, Wotje and Arno (unpublished checklist). 4 pp.

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).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.