Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Afrocarpus falcatus

RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Low risk, score: 0

Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.
Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment
  Nageia falcatus (bastard yellow wood, smooth barked yellow wood, East African yellowwood, outeninqua yellowwood) Synonym: Afrocarpus falcatus, Podocarpus falcatus. Family- Podocarpaceae Answer Score
1.01 Is the species highly domesticated? n 0
1.02 Has the species become naturalized where grown? n  
1.03 Does the species have weedy races? n  
2.01 Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical” 2  
2.02 Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high)                 see appendix 2 2  
2.03 Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility) y 1
2.04 Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates y 1
2.05 Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range?  y=-2 y  
3.01 Naturalized beyond native range         y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05 n -2
3.02 Garden/amenity/disturbance weed                              y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2) n 0
3.03 Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed                         y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2) n 0
3.04 Environmental weed                                                     y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2) n 0
3.05 Congeneric weed                                                          y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2) n 0
4.01 Produces spines, thorns or burrs n 0
4.02 Allelopathic n 0
4.03 Parasitic n 0
4.04 Unpalatable to grazing animals n -1
4.05 Toxic to animals n 0
4.06 Host for recognized pests and pathogens n 0
4.07 Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans n 0
4.08 Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems n 0
4.09 Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle y 1
4.1 Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island) y 1
4.11 Climbing or smothering growth habit n 0
4.12 Forms dense thickets n 0
5.01 Aquatic n 0
5.02 Grass n 0
5.03 Nitrogen fixing woody plant n 0
5.04 Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers) n 0
6.01 Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat n 0
6.02 Produces viable seed. y 1
6.03 Hybridizes naturally    
6.04 Self-compatible or apomictic y 1
6.05 Requires specialist pollinators n 0
6.06 Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation n -1
6.07 Minimum generative time (years)                 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1 4 -1
7.01 Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas) n -1
7.02 Propagules dispersed intentionally by people y 1
7.03 Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant n -1
7.04 Propagules adapted to wind dispersal n -1
7.05 Propagules water dispersed n -1
7.06 Propagules bird dispersed y 1
7.07 Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally) n -1
7.08 Propagules survive passage through the gut y 1
8.01 Prolific seed production (>1000/m2) n -1
8.02 Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr) y 1
8.03 Well controlled by herbicides    
8.04 Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire y 1
8.05 Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)    
  Total score:   0

Supporting data:

  Notes Reference
1.01 No evidence  
1.02 No evidence of naturalization  
1.03 No evidence  
2.01 "Range
South Africa. "This, the tallest member of the genus in Southern Africa, occurs in coastal and montane forests from the Swellendarn district in the Cape to the northern Transvaal and southern Mozambique. It is much less common than P. latifolius and apparently is only rarely dominant"  "A fairly common tree in its native range; an occasional ornamental in New South Wales and southern California." 		CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
2.02 "Range
South Africa. "This, the tallest member of the genus in Southern Africa, occurs in coastal and montane forests from the Swellendarn district in the Cape to the northern Transvaal and southern Mozambique. It is much less common than P. latifolius and apparently is only rarely dominant"  "A fairly common tree in its native range; an occasional ornamental in New South Wales and southern California." 		CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
2.03 (1)"This species is found in various vegetation types including coastal swamp forest, transitional rainforest, dry evergreen forest and Afromontane rainforest."  Altitude range: 10 - 3000 m
- Mean annual rainfall: 1200 - 1800 mm
- Mean annual temperature: 13 - 20ºC
- Absolute minimum temperature: > 10ºC
(2)USDA hardiness zones 10 to 11.		 (1)CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. (2)http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/PODFALA.pdf
2.04 "Range
South Africa. "This, the tallest member of the genus in Southern Africa, occurs in coastal and montane forests from the Swellendarn district in the Cape to the northern Transvaal and southern Mozambique. It is much less common than P. latifolius and apparently is only rarely dominant"  "A fairly common tree in its native range; an occasional ornamental in New South Wales and southern California." 		CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
2.05 (1)Introduced to Florida.  (2)A fairly common tree in its native range; an occasional ornamental in New South Wales and southern California. (3)Introduced and cultivated in Hawaii. (1)CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
(2)http://www.conifers.org/po/af/falcatus.htm  (3)Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii. Page 73
3.01 No evidenece of naturalization  
3.02 No evidence  
3.03 No evidence  
3.04 Invasive potential - little if any known invasive potential at this time. http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/PODFALA.pdf
3.05 No evidence regarding weedy congeners.  
4.01 No evidence of such structures. http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/PODFALA.pdf
4.02 No evidence  
4.03 No evidence  
4.04 "Abstract: A study was made of the vegetation in southern Wello (Ethiopia) in relation to human impact and the environment. 65 sample plots were laid out and analysed with respect to the cover value of vascular plant species. Altitude, slope, aspect and estimates of grazing pressure for each plot were also recorded along with physical and chemical soil properties analysed for samples taken from each plot. The following environmental factors, isolated by forward selection, show correlation with the axes of Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA): altitude, grazing, pH, K, Ca, Mg, slope and aspect. Through hierarchical and non-hierarchical clustering methods the vegeta