Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Clitoria ternatea

RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Reject, Score: 7

Note:  Risk assessment prepared for Australia

Information on Risk Assessments

        Clitoria ternatea
A. Biogeography/     butterfly pea
  historical     ML
1 Domestication/ 1.01 Is the species highly domesticated?  
  cultivation 1.02 Has the species become naturalised where grown?  
    1.03 Does the species have weedy races?  
2 Climate and 2.01 Species suited to Australian climates (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) 2
  Distribution 2.02 Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) 2
    2.03 Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility) n
    2.04 Native or naturalised in regions with extended dry periods y
    2.05 Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? n
3 Weed 3.01 Naturalised beyond native range y
  Elsewhere 3.02 Garden/amenity/disturbance weed Y
  (interacts with 2.01 3.03 Weed of agriculture  
  to give a weighted 3.04 Environmental weed  
  score) 3.05 Congeneric weed n
B. Biology/Ecology    
4 Undesirable 4.01 Produces spines, thorns or burrs n
  traits 4.02 Allelopathic  
    4.03 Parasitic n
    4.04 Unpalatable to grazing animals n
    4.05 Toxic to animals  
    4.06 Host for recognised pests and pathogens y
    4.07 Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans N
    4.08 Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems n
    4.09 Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle  
    4.10 Grows on infertile soils  
    4.11 Climbing or smothering growth habit y
    4.12 Forms dense thickets  
5 Plant 5.01 Aquatic n
  type 5.02 Grass n
    5.03 Nitrogen fixing woody plant n
    5.04 Geophyte n
6 Reproduction 6.01 Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat  
    6.02 Produces viable seed. y
    6.03 Hybridises naturally  
    6.04 Self-compatible or apomictic y
    6.05 Requires specialist pollinators  
    6.06 Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation  
    6.07 Minimum generative time (years)  
7 Dispersal mechanisms 7.01 Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in areas with much vehicle movement)  
    7.02 Propagules dispersed intentionally by people  
    7.03 Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant  
    7.04 Propagules adapted to wind dispersal  
    7.05 Propagules water dispersed  
    7.06 Propagules bird dispersed  
    7.07 Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)  
    7.08 Propagules survive passage through the gut  
8 Persistence 8.01 Prolific seed production (>2000/m2)  
  attributes 8.02 Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)  
    8.03 Well controlled by herbicides  
    8.04 Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation or cultivation n
    8.05 Effective natural enemies present in Australia  
      Outcome: Reject
      Score: 7
  Statistical summary   Biogeography 5
  of scoring   Score partition:                       Undesirable attributes 1
      Biology/ecology 1
      Biogeography 5
      Questions answered:                       Undesirable attributes 7
      Biology/ecology 7
      Total 19
      Agricultural 4
      Sector affected:                                   Environmental 7
      Nusiance 2
   A= agricultural, E = environmental, N = nuisance, C=combined  

Risk assessment prepared by Mark Lonsdale.

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This page new 20 January 2001.