Hibiscus insularis risk assessment

Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Hibiscus insularis

RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Low risk, score: -3

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

	Hibiscus insularis (Philip Island hibiscus)	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)
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	n
3.01	Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05	n	0
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)	y	2
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
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	3	0
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	n	-1
7.07	Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)	n	-1
7.08	Propagules survive passage through the gut
8.01	Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)	n	-1
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, cultivation, or fire	y	1
8.05	Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)
	Total score:		-3

Supporting data:

	Notes	Reference
1.01	An endangered speceis from Philip I (Norfolk I group) Island. Rare in the field, becoming well known in cultivation.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
1.02	No evidence
1.03	No evidence
2.01	Native/Endemic to Philip Island - south of Norfolk Island (Australia).	(1)http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden /garden_features/blooming_calendar/annan_blooming_template31 (2)http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/p1/gw1093606.html
2.02	Native/Endemic to Philip Island - south of Norfolk Island (Australia).	(1)http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden /garden_features/blooming_calendar/annan_blooming_template31 (2)http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/p1/gw1093606.html
2.03	This species appears to be rare in cultivation - No evidence regarding environmental versatility.
2.04	Native/Endemic to Philip Island - south of Norfolk Island (Australia).	(1)http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden /garden_features/blooming_calendar/annan_blooming_template31 (2)http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/p1/gw1093606.html
2.05	No evidence
3.01	No evidence
3.02	No evidence. An endangered species.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
3.03	No evidence. An endangered species.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
3.04	No evidence. An endangered species.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
3.05	(1)Abelmoschus moschatus (herb, shrub) Synonyms: Hibiscus abelmoschus L. Abelmoschus moschatus is a weedy, herbaceous plant that is native to India, parts of China and tropical Asia, and some Pacific islands. It is cultivated in India for the musk-like oil contained in its seeds, which is valued for perfume manufacture. Considered a weed in open and disturbed areas. It has been found to be a suitable host plant for the insect Dysdercus cingulatus, which is a serious pest of cotton crops. Common Names: `aute toga, algalia, almizcle vegetal, almizcle vegetal, ambretta semi, aukiki, bisameibisch, fau ingo, fau tagaloa, fautia, fou ingo, gombo musqué, gongul, kamang, kamwayang, karereon, metei, musk, musk mallow, o'e'e, okeoke, okra, vakeke, wakeke, wakewake, wakiwaki. (2)Hibiscus trionum is a weed in gardens and croplands.	(1)http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp? sts=sss&st=sss&fr=1&sn=Hibiscus&rn=&hci=-1&ei=-1&x=25&y=8 (2)Lorenzi, J Harri and Jeffery S. Larry. Weeds of the United States and their Control. Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York. Page 208
4.01	No evidence	http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp?sts=sss &st=sss&fr=1&sn=Hibiscus&rn=&hci=-1&ei=-1&x=25&y=8
4.02	No evidence
4.03	No evidence
4.04	This species, along with the rest of the island's vegetation, was under threat due to grazing by pigs, goats and rabbits. The removal of these feral animals has led to the regeneration of the population with seedlings surviving next to the original plants.	http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden/ garden_features/blooming_calendar/annan_blooming_template31
4.05	No evidence
4.06	Don’t know. - "I’ve not seen a Phillip Island Hibiscus suffer from pests or diseases - so far."	http://web.mac.com/bellis_brisbane/iWeb/Bellis/blog/35451A25-D4E9-44AB-8C8D-E15FF6157038.html
4.07	No evidence
4.08	Probably not - an evergreen densely branching shrub adapted to coastal conditions.	http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden/ the_garden/blooming_calendar/annan_blooming_template31
4.09	Needs full sun.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
4.1	No evidence regarding soil requirements.
4.11	No evidence
4.12	No evidence
5.01	An evergreen bushy plant/ shrub.	http://www.hotkey.net.au/~ganmor/howie/nominac.htm
5.02
5.03
5.04
6.01	Propagation is from seed. Endangered. Rare in the field but no evidence of reproductive failure in the wild.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
6.02	Propagation is from seed. Endangered. Rare in the field but no evidence of reproductive failure in the wild.	Wrigley, J W. and Fagg, M. 2003. Austraian Native Plants. New Holland Publishers. Pvt. Ltd. Sydney.
6.03	Don’t know. Hybridization has been reported in other Hibiscus species.
6.04	Don’t know
6.05	Probably not - a typical hibiscus flower that is know to flower and fruit outside of its native range which is limited to two small areas on the Philip Island (Norfolk Islands). [Also see photo]	http://web.mac.com/bellis_brisbane/iWeb/Bellis/blog/35451A25-D4E9-44AB-8C8D-E15FF6157038.html
6.06	No evidence of spread by vegetative means.
6.07	Probably 2 -3 years. The plants were planted as tubestock in 2004 and were flowering in 2006.	http://web.mac.com/bellis_brisbane/iWeb/Bellis/blog/35451A25-D4E9-44AB-8C8D-E15FF6157038.html
7.01	No evidence that the speceis grows in heavily trafficked areas.
7.02	Cultivated for ornamental flowers - "In a frost-free environment, for about 10 months of the year it will produce creamy flowers, which fade to a beautiful wine colour. It has tiny, neat leaves and a densely branching characteristic, making it a perfect garden plant. It is evergreen, disease-free and tolerates wind and full sunshine or partial shade."	http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s204712.htm
7.03	Probably not - no evidence that the plants grow or occur in or around seed crops.
7.04	In Hibiscus genus fruit is a capsule - probably dispersed by gravity.
7.05	Probably not - even though the species is endemic to an Island no evidence of spread to means of water.
7.06	Probably not - in Hibiscus genus the fruit is a capsule.
7.07	No evidence that the propagules have any means to attachment.
7.08	No evidence of ingestion.
8.01	No evidence of seed size, but probably not as the species in the Hibiscus genus generally produce relatively large seeds.
8.02	No evidence regarding seed longivity.
8.03	No evidence of being controlled for.
8.04	(1)Hibiscus insularis requires only light pruning to keep a rounded shape. (2)This dense bushiness is essential for a good hedge. All these plants need now is for the tips to be pinched out to encourage the bushiness. (3)Pruning is important for all large species and regular tip-pruning is preferred as plants that have to be cut back to wood may not survive. (4)"Pruned as a shrub they reach 3 or so metres high and 4-5 metres wide. Allowed to grow as a tree they’re often multi-trunked with a broad arching canopy, reaching to 4 or so metres high and 4-5 metres wide."	(1)http://www.hibiscus.org/species/austnativehibiscus.php (2)http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s204712.htm (3)http://farrer.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/APOL7/sep97-6.html (4)http://web.mac.com/bellis_brisbane/iWeb/Bellis/blog/35451A25-D4E9-44AB-8C8D-E15FF6157038.html
8.05	Don’t know.

Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER!

[ Return to PIER homepage ] [Risk assessment page]

This page created 23 December 2006