Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Bacopa procumbens 'Goldflake'

RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: High risk, score: 7

Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.
Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment
  Mecardonia procumbens 'Goldflake' (Synonyms - Bacopa procumbens Also see 42 synonyms listed for this species - see -http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_vast)  Family - Scrophylariaceae Answer Score
1.01 Is the species highly domesticated? n 0
1.02 Has the species become naturalized where grown? y  
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 y 2
3.02 Garden/amenity/disturbance weed                              y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2) y 2
3.03 Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed                         y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2) y 4
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    
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 n 0
4.1 Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)    
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    
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 1 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 y 1
7.04 Propagules adapted to wind dispersal n -1
7.05 Propagules water dispersed n -1
7.06 Propagules bird dispersed n -1
7.07 Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally) n -1
7.08 Propagules survive passage through the gut n -1
8.01 Prolific seed production (>1000/m2) y 1
8.02 Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)    
8.03 Well controlled by herbicides y -1
8.04 Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire    
8.05 Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)    
  Total score:   7

Supporting data:

  Notes Reference
1.01 Goldflake' is a Mecardonia hybrid.'Mecardonia is a totally new plant introduction. It's a vigorous low grower with a trailing habit. Bright yellow flowers cover the plant all spring, summer and even into fall. Use as ground cover, in window boxes and hanging baskets. Sure to be a new favorite!' [No evidence as to how this hybrid was created]. http://www.ashlandgreenhouses.com/detail.php?id=1464&cat=deluxe
1.02 (1)Naturalized in Taiwan (naturalized along Nan-Hua River in wet wastelands and campus of National Hyalien Teachers College lawn in a rather large mass). 'M. procumbens is a weedy plant distributed from tropical America to Texas and Florida of the United States, also naturalized to Java.  (2)Introduced and naturalized to the southern parts of India. (3) 'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.' (1)Chen, S. and Wu, M. 2001. Notes on two newly naturalized plants in Taiwan. Taiwaniana. 46(1): 85-92. (2)Joseph, K T and Suresh C R. 1982. Notes on two interesting exotic species from South India. Indian Journal of Botany. 5(2): 126 -127. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375.
1.03 No evidence. [Kaul (1974) has differentiated two ecotypes, erect and repent, of the species. The erect form according to Kaul is facultative calcicole and is unbranched, while the repent form is an obligate calcifuge and gives out several lateral branches.' Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375.
2.01 (1)Naturalized in Taiwan (naturalized along Nan-Hua River in wet wastelands and campus of National Hyalien Teachers College lawn in a rather large mass). 'M. procumbens is a weedy plant distributed from tropical America to Texas and Florida of the United States, also naturalized to Java.  (2)Introduced and naturalized to the southern parts of India. (3) 'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.' (4)Central and Southern Americas. (5)Native range tropical America. (1)Chen, S. and Wu, M. 2001. Notes on two newly naturalized plants in Taiwan. Taiwaniana. 46(1): 85-92. (2)Joseph, K T and Suresh C R. 1982. Notes on two interesting exotic species from South India. Indian Journal of Botany. 5(2): 126 -127. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375. (4)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl  (5)http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/bacopa_procumbens.htm
2.02    
2.03 (1) It needs a temperature above 16°C to get a good flowering plant.  (2)Zones 9 - 11. (3)Many specimens collected from Nicaragua were above 1000 m. Range 0 to > 1000 m. (1)http://www.florensis.nl/uk/prod/neu/neu64.htm  (2)http://www.ashlandgreenhouses.com/detail.php?id=1464&cat=deluxe  (3)http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_vast#africa
2.04 (1)Naturalized in Taiwan (naturalized along Nan-Hua River in wet wastelands and campus of National Hyalien Teachers College lawn in a rather large mass). 'M. procumbens is a weedy plant distributed from tropical America to Texas and Florida of the United States, also naturalized to Java.  (2)Introduced and naturalized to the southern parts of India. (3) 'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.' (1)Chen, S. and Wu, M. 2001. Notes on two newly naturalized plants in Taiwan. Taiwaniana. 46(1): 85-92. (2)Joseph, K T and Suresh C R. 1982. Notes on two interesting exotic species from South India. Indian Journal of Botany. 5(2): 126 -127. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375.
2.05 (1)Naturalized in Taiwan (naturalized along Nan-Hua River in wet wastelands and campus of National Hyalien Teachers College lawn in a rather large mass). 'M. procumbens is a weedy plant distributed from tropical America to Texas and Florida of the United States, also naturalized to Java.  (2)Introduced and naturalized to the southern parts of India. (3) 'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.'   (4)Introduced to China. (50Introduced to several Islands in Micronesia. (1)Chen, S. and Wu, M. 2001. Notes on two newly naturalized plants in Taiwan. Taiwaniana. 46(1): 85-92. (2)Joseph, K T and Suresh C R. 1982. Notes on two interesting exotic species from South India. Indian Journal of Botany. 5(2): 126 -127. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375. (4)http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=3&taxon_id=242000973  (5)http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/bacopa_procumbens.htm
3.01 (1)Naturalized in Taiwan (naturalized along Nan-Hua River in wet wastelands and campus of National Hyalien Teachers College lawn in a rather large mass). 'M. procumbens is a weedy plant distributed from tropical America to Texas and Florida of the United States, also naturalized to Java.  (2)Introduced and naturalized to the southern parts of India. (3) 'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.' (1)Chen, S. and Wu, M. 2001. Notes on two newly naturalized plants in Taiwan. Taiwaniana. 46(1): 85-92. (2)Joseph, K T and Suresh C R. 1982. Notes on two interesting exotic species from South India. Indian Journal of Botany. 5(2): 126 -127. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375.
3.02  (1)Naturalized in Taiwan along Mu-Gua River in wet wastelands, campus of National Teachers College, on lawn in a rather large mass.  'It occurs in open sunny moisture soils along streams and on lawns in university campus. Associated with the following weesds: Mazus pumilus, Lindernia crustacea, Conyza canadensis, Phyllanthus embergeri and Rossingnol, Chamaesyce hirta, Cyanodon dactylon, Paspalum conjugatum, Eragrostis amabilis, Kyllinga brevifolia.'  (2)'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.' ... 'The plant is commonly growning in association with some crops as a weed or in the wasteland. Materials for the present investigation were collected from three different populations growing in three different crop fields.'  (3)A weed of wet or brackish localities (Stone, 1970). In New Guinea, "a plant of disturbed land and heavily-grazed grassland, and a weed of cultivation and lawns" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975). (1)Chen, S. and Wu, M. 2001. Notes on two newly naturalized plants in Taiwan. Taiwaniana. 46(1): 85-92.  (2)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375.  (3)http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/bacopa_procumbens.htm
3.03 (1)'Mecardonia procumbens (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial wild herb of Ameican origin, recently introduced in India. In recent years it has spread widly in different parts of the country and estalishing itself as a pernicous weed.' ... 'The plant is commonly growning in association with some crops as a weed or in the wasteland. Materials for the present investigation were collected from three different populations growing in three different crop fields.'   (2)Listed by Global Pest Plant Information Service: FAO (weed) (Food and Agricultural Organization). (1)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375. (3)Sinha, A. R. P. 1987. Report of B chromosome in Mercadonia procumbens (Miller) Small. Cytologia. 52: 373-375.  (2)http://www.hear.org/gcw/html/autogend/species/2494.htm - GWC data source # 88.
3.04 No evidence