Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Coprosma repens


RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: High risk, score: 8


Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.
Information on Risk Assessments

Coprosma repens A. Rich. Family - Rubiaceae. Common Names(s) - Creeping mirrorplant; Looking glass plant. Synonym(s) - .

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=1, n=-1

y

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

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”

See Append 2

1

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, n=0

n

0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

n

0

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range?

y=-2, ?=-1, n=0

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

y

1

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

2

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

1

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.10

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

y

1

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

0

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

y

-1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

8

Supporting data:

Notes

Source

1.01

(1)No evidence.

(1)Plant Master 5.5. CD-ROM database.

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1)Origin is coastal New Zealand.

(1)Plant Master 5.5. CD-ROM database.

2.02

2.03

(1) USDA zones 9 and 10. USDA temperature zones 9a to 11a. (2)As far as hardiness goes, this variety can be a little temperamental, it is preferable to plant this variety in a moist position. (3)Found in coastal situations

1)Plant Master 5.5. CD-ROM database. (2)http://gardenbed.com/source/19/1879_lan.asp (3)http://www.nzseeds.co.nz/seed_list/Coprosma_repens.html

2.04

(1)Origin is New Zealand. (2)Naturalized in coastal regions of Australia, Victoria. 3)NOT naturalized in Queensland

(1)Plant Master 5.5. CD-ROM database. (2)Beadle, N.C.W., Evans, O.D. et al. 1972. Flora of the Sydney Region. A. H. and A. W. Reed. 3)Stanley and Ross, Flora of S.E. Queensland, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries

2.05

Introduced in (1)Australia, (2)California, Hawai‘i

(1)http://members.iinet.net/~weeds/western_weeds/appendixb.htm (2)http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/acc_num/199400172.html

3.01

(1)Naturalized in Australia in various places along the coast. No other evidence of naturalization. (2)Looking glass bush smothers other plants. It has become naturalised in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In Tasmania it is a weed of the Furneaux Island group.

(1)Beadle, N.C.W., Evans, O.D. et al. 1972. Flora of the Sydney Region. A. H. and A. W. Reed. (2)http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E30 [Accessed 07 July 2009]

3.02

No evidence.

 

3.03

No evidence.

 

3.04

(1)"significant" environmental weed of Victoria, Australia (2)Looking glass bush smothers other plants. It has become naturalised in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In Tasmania it is a weed of the Furneaux Island group. (3)It is invasive because it forms dense and species poor growth that shade out vegetation. It impedes the growth and regeneration of native shrubs and trees.

(1)Randall, R. 2001. Garden thugs, a national list of invasive and potentially invasive garden plants. Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.16(4) 2001 (2)http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E30 [Accessed 07 July 2009] (3)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

3.05

(1)Coprosma baueri listed as a weed in Australia, but no information found on impacts or control (2)Coprosma lucida listed as a weed in Australia, but no information found on impacts or control (3)Carr et al. (1992) listed species that they considered to be very serious environmental weeds in Victoria, of which 17 also occur in Tasmania, i.e. Brassica tournefortii, Carrichtera annua, Coprosma robusta...etc.

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/coprosma_baueri/ [Accessed 16 July 2009] (2)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/coprosma_lucida/ [Accessed 16 July 2009] (3)Rozefelds, A. C. F., L. Cave, D. I. Morris and A. M. Buchanan. 1999. The weed invasion in Tasmania since 1970. Australian Journal of Botany 47(1): 23 - 48.

4.01

(1)Looking glass bush is a shrub to small tree up to 8m tall. Branches spreading prostrate sometimes self-layering. Leaves are broadly oblong 80 x 50 mm, glossy green above and pale beneath. Flowers are white and arranged in terminal clusters. [No evidence.]

(1)http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E30 [Accessed 07 July 2009]

4.02

(1)No evidence.

(1)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

4.03

(1)No evidence.

(1)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

4.04

No information.

 

4.05

(1)No evidence.

(1)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

4.06

(1)This site lists 4 fungal species to occur on C. repens. (2)Generalist: Phytophthora drechsleri causes root rot of poinsettia and chrysanthemum and (3)Causes blight in Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and (4)Causes root rot in sugar beet. (not grown in Pacific)

(1)http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/all/FindRecOneFungusFrame.cfm (2)http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Agriculture/bureaus/plant_industry/pests/disease/diseases/emerging.html (3)http://www.scisoc.org/resource/common/names/pigeon.htm (4)http://users.cwnet.com/hollylab/disease.rootdisease.html

4.07

(1)No evidence.

(1)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

4.08

(1)hard to burn

(1)http://www.bushfire.nsw.gov.au/communityfiresafety/fireguard03.htm

4.09

(1)It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. (2)Requires half sun. (3)prefers partial shade or partial sun (4)seeds germinate under light shade

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens (2)Plant Master 5.5. CD-ROM database. (3)http://www.hortpix.com/pc1196.htm (4)http://www.bushcare.tas.gov.au/care/wdspecies.htm#mirror

4.10

(1)Grows in sandy, clay and loam. (2)The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. (3)This plant variety does not tolerate heavy clay soils (4)It grows on coastal headlands and heathland and tolerates drought, fire and most soil types.

(1)Plant Master 5.5. CD-ROM database. (2)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens (3)http://gardenbed.com/source/19/1879_lan.asp (4)http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E30 [Accessed 07 July 2009]

4.11

(1)Looking glass bush is a shrub to small tree up to 8m tall. Branches spreading prostrate sometimes self-layering. Leaves are broadly oblong 80 x 50 mm, glossy green above and pale beneath. Flowers are white and arranged in terminal clusters. [No evidence.]

(1)http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E30 [Accessed 07 July 2009]

4.12

(1)It is invasive because it forms dense and species poor growth that shade out vegetation. It impedes the growth and regeneration of native shrubs and trees. (2)Invasive shrubs often form monocultures and shade the soil preventing the growth of ground flora and regeneration of indigenous trees. Invasive examples include broom (Cytisus scoparius), white Spanish broom (Cytisus multiflorus), Spanish heath (Erica lusitanica), lantana (Lantana camara), butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), large-leaf cotoneaster (Cotoneaster glaucophyllus), Darwin’s barberry (Berberis darwinii), heather (Calluna vulgaris), tagasaste or tree lucerne (Chamaecytisus palmensis), boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera), and mirror bush (Coprosma repens).

(1)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. (2)http://www.weedscrc.org.au/static/documents/weeds_in_the_media_proceedings.pdf#page=17 [Accessed 07 July 2009]

5.01

(1)An evergreen shrub.

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens

5.02

(1)Rubiaceae

(1)Allan, H. H. 1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons. First electronic edition, Landcare Research, June 2004. Transcr. A.D. Wilton and I.M.L. Andres. http://FloraSeries.LandcareResearch.co.nz. [Accessed 16 July 2009].

5.03

(1)Rubiaceae

(1)Allan, H. H. 1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons. First electronic edition, Landcare Research, June 2004. Transcr. A.D. Wilton and I.M.L. Andres. http://FloraSeries.LandcareResearch.co.nz. [Accessed 16 July 2009].

5.04

(1)Shrub or tree up to 8 m. tall, depressed to prostrate when very strongly insolated; branches stout, bark light brown; branchlets pubescent when young.

(1)Allan, H. H. 1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons. First electronic edition, Landcare Research, June 2004. Transcr. A.D. Wilton and I.M.L. Andres. http://FloraSeries.LandcareResearch.co.nz. [Accessed 16 July 2009].

6.01

No evidence.

 

6.02

(1)Propagation Cuttings, Seed

(1)http://www.bestgardening.com/bgc/plant/native13.htm [Accessed 07 July 2009]

6.03

(1)Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus (2) 'This species (C. macrocarpa) often hybridizes with C. robusta and C. repens where the species grow together.

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens (2)Smith-Dodsworth, J.C. 1991. New Zealand Native shrubs and climbers. David Bateman Ltd.

6.04

(1)"The flowers are dioecious"

(1)http://gardenbed.com/source/19/1879_flo.asp

6.05

(1)Wind pollinated.

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens

6.06

(1)The seeds are spread by birds and animals, or in dumped garden waste. This plant also spreads by the rooting of its lower branches. (2)Branches touching the ground easily become rooted.

(1)http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/environment/documents/WARRWeeds_000.pdf [Accessed 07 July 2009] (2)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

6.07

(1)This plant is fast growing and long-lived.

(1)http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/environment/documents/WARRWeeds_000.pdf [Accessed 07 July 2009]

7.01

(1)The seeds are spread by birds and animals, or in dumped garden waste.

(1)http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/environment/documents/WARRWeeds_000.pdf [Accessed 07 July 2009]

7.02

(1)The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. It is said to make an excellent coffee. (2)Valued for its extremely shiny leaves. For the above 2 reasons the species may be subject to intentional introduction.

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens (2)http://www.geocities.com/~jimclatfelter/coprosma.html

7.03

(1)Probably not. The orange fruit is about 10mm in diameter. ...though the seeds are rather small.

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens

7.04

No direct evidence. But since the fleshy drupes are much prized(1) by birds they are probably dispersed by birds.

(1)http://www.123.co.nz/tiri/PFS_Taupata.htm

7.05

(1)The berries are brightly coloured and much prized by the birds. (2)Birds eat the berries and later pass the seeds

(1) http://www.123.co.nz/tiri/PFS_Taupata.htm (2)http://weeds.tassie.net.au//txts/mirror_bush.htm

7.06

(1)The berries are brightly coloured and much prized by the birds. (2)Birds eat the berries and later pass the seeds

(1) http://www.123.co.nz/tiri/PFS_Taupata.htm (2)http://weeds.tassie.net.au//txts/mirror_bush.htm

7.07

(1)Propagules do not have any means of attachment.

(1)Allan, H. H. 1982. Flora of New Zealand. Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons. First electronic edition, Landcare Research, June 2004. Transcr. A.D. Wilton and I.M.L. Andres. http://FloraSeries.LandcareResearch.co.nz. [Accessed 16 July 2009].

7.08

(1)The berries are brightly coloured and much prized by the birds. (2)Birds eat the berries and later pass the seeds [Birds eat the berries and later pass the seeds]

(1) http://www.123.co.nz/tiri/PFS_Taupata.htm (2)http://weeds.tassie.net.au//txts/mirror_bush.htm

8.01

(1)The orange fruit is about 10mm in diameter. ...though the seeds are rather small. (2)Drupe is 6 to 8 mm long. No information on seed size. (3)2-4 seeds per fruit

(1)http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Coprosma+repens (2)Poole, A.L. and Adams, N.M. 1990. Trees and Shrubs of New Zealand. DSIR Publishing. Wellington. (3)Wagner et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands.

8.02

No information.

 

8.03

(1)Foliar spray, glyphosate, 10ml/L, Add a penetrant in accordance with the label

(1)http://www.bushcare.tas.gov.au/care/wdspecies.htm#mirror

8.04

(1)Intolerant to animal browsing. (2)it will withstand hard trimming (3)The shrub is tolerant of salt spray and vigorously resprouts after damage. Branches touching the ground easily become rooted. (4)It grows on coastal headlands and heathland and tolerates drought, fire and most soil types.

(1)http://www.bush.org.nz/plant/fact/Coprosma_repens.html (2)http://www.conifers.co.nz/PLANTINFORMATION/shelter.html (3)Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. (4)http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E30 [Accessed 07 July 2009]

8.05

Don’t know.


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