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

Passiflora vitifolia Kunth (crimson passion flower, grape-leaved passionfruit, tacsonia)

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

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

3.02

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

n=0

y

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

n

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

n

4.1

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

y=1, n=0

n

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

y

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

n

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

n

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

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

n

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

2

7.01

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

y=1, n=-1

y

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

n

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

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

y

8.02

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

y=1, n=-1

n

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

y

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:

-1

Notes

Source

1.01

no evidence

1.02

(1) 'The vines of this plant have been observed completely overtaking native vegetation and growing > 50 feet into the canopy in a vacant woodlot in Highlands County. The invasive potential of this plant is high in mesic and hydric sites. [Florida] (2)Not recognized as naturalized in Florda [plants in ref #1 may be the result of spread out of neighboring gardens or plantings?]

(1)http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/landmanage/ExoticsGrant03/ExoticsMain/nusciance%20plants.htm (2)Wunderlin, R.P. 1998. Guide to Vascular plants of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville

1.03

no evidence

2.01

Native:
SOUTHERN AMERICA
Mesoamerica: Costa Rica; Nicaragua; Panama
Northern South America: Venezuela
Western South America: Colombia; Ecuador; Peru

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?Passiflora+vitifolia (10 July 2004)

2.02

2.03

(1) "The vine is only moderately hardy and can be killed back by freezing temperatures or prolonged frosts." [tropical only]
(2) spevimen records are most from sea level to 1000m, rarely collected up to 1100 m. (3)Red Passiflora generally are not very hardy at all. It would prefer Zone 10a

(1) http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/grape_leaved_passion_fruit.htm
(2) http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_pick?name=Passiflora+vitifolia (3)http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/passiflora/msg041023476295.html

2.04

Native:
SOUTHERN AMERICA
Mesoamerica: Costa Rica; Nicaragua; Panama
Northern South America: Venezuela
Western South America: Colombia; Ecuador; Peru

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?Passiflora+vitifolia (10 July 2004)

2.05

planted in HI, CA, FL, AZ of USA

http://plantsdatabase.com/go/1195/index.html

3.01

(1) 'The vines of this plant have been observed completely overtaking native vegetation and growing > 50 feet into the canopy in a vacant woodlot in Highlands County. The invasive potential of this plant is high in mesic and hydric sites. [Florida] (2)Not recognized as naturalized in Florda [plants in ref #1 may be the result of spread out of neighboring gardens or plantings?]

(1)http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/landmanage/ExoticsGrant03/ExoticsMain/nusciance%20plants.htm (2)Wunderlin, R.P. 1998. Guide to Vascular plants of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville

3.02

'The vines of this plant have been observed completely overtaking native vegetation and growing > 50 feet into the canopy in a vacant woodlot in Highlands County. [disturbance weed]

http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/landmanage/ExoticsGrant03/ExoticsMain/nusciance%20plants.htm

3.03

no evidence

3.04

no evidence

3.05

(1) P. foetida, "a pan-tropical weed" (2) "P. mollissima is a Plant Species Designated as Noxious Weed for Eradication or Control Purposes by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture chapter 68 noxious weed rules"

(1) http://www.hear.org/pier/species/passiflora_foetida.htm (2) http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/passiflora_mollissima.htm

4.01

no evidence of these traits

Neal, M.C. (1965) In Gardens of Hawaii. Bernice p. Bishop Museum Special Publication 50. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 924pp. p.596 (illustration), p.598 (description).

4.02

no evidence

4.03

no evidence

4.04

no evidence

4.05

'Many Passiflora species are cyanogenic (Olafsdottir et al. 1989; Spencer 1988), that is they liberate hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when damaged...Most plants that are cyanogenic contain both a cyanogenic glycoside and the necessary enzyme (a b-glycosidase) that when combined during structural damage to the leaf, as they would be during herbivory, liberate HCN. In most cyanogenic plants, the cyanogenic glycosides are located within the vacuoles of cells while the enzymes are attached to the outside of the cell wall (Gruhnert et al. 1994). Therefore, for Cyanogenesis to occur cells must be lysed (broken) and the intracellular contents, include the vacular contents, must spill into the intercellular spaces. Because cyanide is toxic to so many species, cyanogenesis acts as a defense against many potential predators (Jones 1988; Nahrstedt 1985; Schappert & Shore 1999). However, to some species (including the two butterflies in the population study) that have adapted to use cyanogenic species as host plants, differing l

http://www.passionflow.co.uk/toxic.htm

4.06

no evidence

4.07

no evidence

4.08

Evergreen

http://www.arboretum.fullerton.edu/plants/images/Vines.pdf

4.09

(1) "Plant the vine in full sun or part shade" (2) Sun Exposure: Full Sun (3) "P. vitifolia grows in forest gaps and secondary growth." (4)Light Requirements: Full sun

(1) http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/grape_leaved_passion_fruit.htm
(2) http://plantsdatabase.com/go/1195/index.html
(3) http://fibre.utu.fi/activities/98BDmeet/po-ab402.htm (4)http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/passifloravitifolia.htm

4.1

(1)Soil Requirements: Rich, well drained, moist (2)"Provide a sandy organic soil, well drained, and moderate food." [suggestion for growing passiflora species]

(1)http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/passifloravitifolia.htm (2)http://mgonline.com/passionvine.html

4.11

fast-growing passionflower vine

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/grape_leaved_passion_fruit.htm

4.12

no evidence

5.01

terrestrial

5.02

woody vine, Passifloraceae

5.03

no evidence

5.04

woody vine

6.01

study of reproduction biology in native habitat

Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

6.02

"Propagation: By seed or cuttings."

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/grape_leaved_passion_fruit.htm

6.03

Some crosses are notorious, such as P. vitifolia x P. caerulea. This will readily set fruit, the seeds of which will produce vigorous healthy hybrids...which never, or very rarely, flower.[don't know if natural hybrids exist]

http://www.passionflow.co.uk/naming1.htm

6.04

p.231 "P. vitifolia is self-imcompatible"

Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

6.05

(1) AB: "In a Costa Rican rain forest, passion flowers (Passiflora vitifolia) were the major source of nectar for Long-tailed Hermit hummingbirds (Phaethornis superciliosus) during the dry season. An examination of 64 flowers twice on one day showed that up to 57% were being foraged on by Trigona fulviventris and T. sylvestriana, and up to 75% by ants, both bees and ants robbing nectar via holes chewed in the corolla. The bees were observed to chase hummingbirds, or to otherwise prevent them from feeding. Of 52 flower visits by birds, 31% involved conspicuous interference by bees. In exclusion experiments, bees and hummingbirds each removed most of the available nectar from flowers."
(2) p.231-232 "The large one-day flower are pollinated primarily by longtail hermit hummingbirds, Phaethornis superciliosus. Although erect filaments at the entrance of the corolla bar direct access to insects, stinless bees (Trigoha fulvivensis and T. silvestriana) and ants often chew holes through the base of the corolla to st

(1) Gill, F. B. , Mack, A. L. , Ray, R. T. (1982) Competition between hermit hummingbirds Phaethorninae and insects for nectar in a Costa Rican rain forest. Ibis, 1982, Vol. 124, No. 1, pp. 44-49
(2) Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

6.06

"Propagation: By seed or cuttings."

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/grape_leaved_passion_fruit.htm

6.07

flowered after 2 years

http://www.mailbag.com/users/mnofsing/passiflora.html

7.01

'It propagates easily from cuttings or seeds, and it's spread into natural areas may be facilitated by dumping cut debris into these areas. '

http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/landmanage/ExoticsGrant03/ExoticsMain/nusciance%20plants.htm

7.02

an ornamental with edible fruit

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/grape_leaved_passion_fruit.htm

7.03

no evidence

7.04

p.232 "The mature fruit are green with white spots, 5-10 cm long, egg shaped and contain 35-300 seeds enclosed in a tough leathery pericarp. The only seed pre dation observed was by mammals, which chew open immature fruits. The seeds of ripe fruits are encased in sweet juicy arils, and are probably dispersed by terrestrail or arboreal mammals."

Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

7.05

no evidence

7.06

p.232 "The mature fruit are green with white spots, 5-10 cm long, egg shaped and contain 35-300 seeds enclosed in a tough leathery pericarp. The only seed pre dation observed was by mammals, which chew open immature fruits. The seeds of ripe fruits are encased in sweet juicy arils, and are probably dispersed by terrestrail or arboreal mammals."

Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

7.07

no evidence

7.08

p.232 "The mature fruit are green with white spots, 5-10 cm long, egg shaped and contain 35-300 seeds enclosed in a tough leathery pericarp. The only seed pre dation observed was by mammals, which chew open immature fruits. The seeds of ripe fruits are encased in sweet juicy arils, and are probably dispersed by terrestrail or arboreal mammals."

Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

8.01

p.232 "The mature fruit are green with white spots, 5-10 cm long, egg shaped and contain 35-300 seeds."; p.234 produce average 166 seeds/fruit in open pollinated flowers, while 239 in hand pollinated flowers. [large number of seeds per fruit]

Snow, A.A. (1982) Pollination intensity and potential seed set in Passiflora vitifolia Costa Rica. Oecologia, 1982. v. 55 (2), p. 231-237. Ill

8.02

"Seed does not store well; sow as soon as possible"

http://plantsdatabase.com/go/1195/index.html

8.03

(1)(2)[Although no evidence of herbicide use on P vitifolia, herbicides provide good control of other Passiflora species]

(1)http://www.nrme.qld.gov.au/pests/environmental_weeds/pdf/passiflora_edulis.pdf (2)http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/003~Weeds/Banana-Passionfruit.asp

8.04

Vigorous vine may require heavy pruning to maintain control.

http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/passifloravitifolia.htm

8.05

no evidence