Research directed by C. Daehler (UH Botany) with funding from the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Program and US Forest Service

Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment

Erythrina corallodendron, Coral bean tree, coronation tree, devil's tree [Synonym: Erythrina corallodendrum L. [Orthographic] [1915]

Answer

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=-1, n=-1

n

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

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, n=0

n

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

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

n

3.02

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

n=0

n

3.03

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

n=0

n

3.04

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

n=0

n

3.05

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

n=0

y

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

y

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

n

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

4.09

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

y=1, n=0

4.1

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

y=1, n=0

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

y

5.04

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

y=1, n=0

n

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

y

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

y

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

n

6.07

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

See left

3

7.01

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

y=1, n=-1

n

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

y

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

y

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.02

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

y=1, n=-1

y

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

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

y=1, n=-1

y

8.05

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

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

6

Notes

Source

1.01

No evidence

1.02

No evidence of naturalization

1.03

No evidence

2.01

(1) List of countries with natural populations: Caribbean: Haiti; Jamaica
(2) Native to US: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
(3) Distributional range:
Native: Caribbean: Haiti; Jamaica
Other: cultivated elsewhere
(4) Ditributed in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South America. [contain native and introduced distribution]

(1) CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
(2) USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
(3) USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN)
[Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Erythrina+corallodendrum (22 January 2004)
(4) http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

2.02

(1) List of countries with natural populations: Caribbean: Haiti; Jamaica
(2) Native to US: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
(3) Distributional range:
Native: Caribbean: Haiti; Jamaica
Other: cultivated elsewhere
(4) Ditributed in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South America. [contain native and introduced distribution]

(1) CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
(2) USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
(3) USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN)
[Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Erythrina+corallodendrum (22 January 2004)
(4) http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

2.03

(1)Rare in southern coast and lower Cordillera forest of Puerto Rico 100-500 feet, mostly in dry areas [native] (2)Mostly dry districts at lower elevations; thicket and rocky hillsides (3)Rather common in woodlands and thickets

(1)Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC. (2)Lioger, H.A. and Martorell, L.F. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands. Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. (3)Adams, C.D. 1972. Flowering Plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies Press. Mona

2.04

(1)Erythrina - 'A genus of 115 species distributed throughout the tropics and warm temperate regions.' (2) Ditributed in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South America.

(1)Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R, Sohmer, S. H. 1990. Manula of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii. University of Hawaii and Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii. (2)http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

2.05

(1) Distributional range:
Native: Caribbean: Haiti; Jamaica
Other: cultivated elsewhere
(2) Distributed in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South America. [contain native and introduced distribution]

(1) USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN)
[Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Erythrina+corallodendrum (22 January 2004)
(2) http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

3.01

No evidence of naturalization

3.02

No evidence

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

AB: The control of streambank weeds in Australia is reviewed. Topics discussed include: the need to control exotic plants; problems of erosion as a consequence; a case study example of Salix spp. on the Nambucca River, New South Wales; problems caused by invasion of camphor laurel [Cinnamomum camphora ], Gleditsia tri[a]canthos, Erythrina crista-galli, Tamarix aphylla and Rubus discolor ; and an outline of management methods.
[E. crista-galli is an environmental weed and subjected to control]

4.01

"Erythrina corallodendron, Lin., a medium sized spiny leguminous tree of tropical America,"

http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/eclectic/journals/ajp1881/07-gleanings.html

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

Don’t know

4.05

No evidence

4.06

The following fungi were listed to be associated with E. corallodendron: Meliola bicornis: Trinidad & Tobago - 5833, 5833, 8557, 8557
Oidium sp.: Israel - 7190
Physalospora erythrinicola: Taiwan - 15660
Pseudocercospora diversispora: Taiwan - 7147, 8312
Pseudocercospora erythrinigena: Taiwan - 8312, 8336
No evidence that the above are recognized pests.
(2)AB: The agromyzid Cryptochetum iceryae was released in Israel in April 1988 for the control of the margarodid Icerya purchasi on Spartium junceum and Erythrina corallodendrum, as it is resistant to attack by the predator Rodolia cardinalis on these food plants. C. iceryae was recovered from all the release sites and, at one location, the pest population was significantly reduced 5 months after the introduction of the parasitoid.
(3) Host Plants: Cottony cushion scale is most frequently collected on Citrus and Pittosporum. in Florida. However, numerous records on other host plants are in the Division of Plant Industry insect files.

(3) http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/fruit/cottony_cushion_scale.htm

4.07

(1)"The wood of this tropical American tree is noted as injurious from a content of alkaloid (Hausen 1970)." [interior wood not likely to be encountered by public] (2)Seeds poison [may be attractive to children?]

(1)http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/index.html (2)Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC.

4.08

a deciduous tree [not recognized as forming thickets]

http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/LEISURE/LP/gc/plantphoto/tree/ercoc.htm

4.09

Don’t know

4.1

grows on rough limestone

Adams, C.D. 1972. Flowering Plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies Press. Mona

4.11

Not climbing

http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

4.12

Rather common in woodlands and thickets [implies that it could grow densely and it has prickles.

Adams, C.D. 1972. Flowering Plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies Press. Mona

5.01

Terrestrial

http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

5.02

Shrub/Tree

http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

5.03

on the list of "Nitrogen Fixing Trees and Shrubs"

http://www.winrock.org/forestry/factpub/nftlist.htm

5.04

http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/1722.shtml

6.01

deciduous shrub having racemes of deep scarlet-red flowers and black-spotted red seeds

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Erythrina%20corallodendrum

6.02

bright red seeds

http://www.mayacalendar.com/mayadivination8.htm

6.03

(1) 'A specimen from a cultivated tee in Okinawa, T. satio in 1918 -KAG, was labelled E. corallodendron L. (Sangoshta - coral prickly Paulownia). The American student of this genus, B. A. Kurkoff has determined it as X E. bidwilli (E. berbacea X E. crista-galli) in Edwards Boy Reg. 33 pl 9 1847. This probably reflects the great variability in the plants of this commonly cultivated genus, perhaps due to generations of hybridizing in cultivation. The precise naming of such mixed cultivated plants is meaningless without critical study of many well documented specimens.' (2)Most Erythrina spp. are ecologically separated, even when occurring in the same geographical region. Hybrids, however, occur frequently in cultivation, as there appear to be no barriers to interspecific hybridization.

(1)Walker E.H. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the Southern Ryukyu Islands. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington D.C. (2)Prosea online. http://www.proseanet.org/dbtw-prosea/eprosea/textfile/index.cfm

6.04

"The pendulous flowers are scentless, strong and elastic, so constructed that cross-pollination is universal, and are typically pollinated by birds, particularly by passerines such as Chloropsis species and crows. They visit the flowers in the morning collecting the copious nectar. " [description of the genus; cross-pollinated between flowers but no evidence of self-incompatability]

6.05

This distinction is exemplified in Bruneau's (10) investigation of passerine and hummingbird pollination in Erythrina. Similar phylogenies were obtained from morphological and molecular approaches. Passerine pollination is the ancestral condition in Erythrina, with four hypothesized transitions to hummingbird pollination. Transitions to hummingbird pollination involve shifts from horizontal to upright inflorescences, secund flowers to flowers radially arranged along the inflorescence axis, and standard petals that are open and expose the reproductive structures to standard petals that are folded to form a pseudotube. [description of the genus]

http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.30.1.167;jsessionid=jwYn6tPcrTf4

6.06

No evidence of vegetative spread in the wild

6.07

small tree to 25 ft high [minimum estimate for a small tree of dry habitats]

Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC.

7.01

No evidence; bright red seeds

7.02

Planted as an ornamental in the tropics

Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC.

7.03

Seeds strung into necklaces

Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC.

7.04

a legume in Fabaceae. In the genus Erythrina - 'Pods subligneous, chartaceous, or fleshy, rarely aculeate or winged, oftern deeply constricted between the seeds and monilifrom. Seeds red, particolored (red and black), or brown, usually firm and smooth.'

Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R, Sohmer, S. H. 1990. Manula of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii. University of Hawaii and Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.

7.05

(2) "The seeds may float long distances in the sea." [description of the genus] (3) on the list of "PLANTS FOR SHORELINES AND DUNES IN THE WIDER CARIBBEAN"

(2) http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/SeedlistE.htm (3) http://www.cep.unep.org/issues/sanddunes.PDF

7.06

bright red seeds

http://www.mayacalendar.com/mayadivination8.htm

7.07

no means of attachment

7.08

bird dispersal (mimetic seeds)

8.01

(1) Several seeds per pod (2)Based on photo, roughly 4-10 seeds per pod

(1) Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC. (2)http://www.smkb.ac.il/aha/content/projects/plants_sem/erythrina_corallodendrum/sum/sum.files/image002.jpg

8.02

hard seeded legume.

http://www.mayacalendar.com/mayadivination8.htm

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

Cultivated as a living fence [tolerates heavy pruning]

Little et al. 1974. Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Washington DC.

8.05

Don’t know.