Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Pseudobombax ellipticum


RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Low risk, score: -2


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

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

Pseudobombax ellipticum (Bombax ellipticum; Carolinea fastuosa); shavingbrush tree

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

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

n

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

y

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

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

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

4

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

n

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

y

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

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

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

8.05

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

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

-2

Supporting data:

Source

Notes

1.01

no evidence

1.02

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

possibly naturalized in Jamaica [or possibly only cultivated, no details given]

1.03

no evidence

2.01

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Pseudobombax+ellipticum (29 June 2002)

Distributional range:
Native:
Northern America: Mexico
Southern America: Guatemala

2.02

2.03

(1) Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. p.580

(1) Hardiness Zone: Zones 10-11; can be grown outside only in south Florida.

2.04

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Pseudobombax+ellipticum (29 June 2002)

Distributional range:
Native:
Northern America: Mexico
Southern America: Guatemala

2.05

(1) Neal, M.C. (1965) In gardens of Hawaii. Bernice p. Bishop Museum Special Publicatio 50. Bishop Museeum Press, Honolulu. 924pp. P.570
(2) <http://scrl.usda.gov/scrl/apmru/imms/pollen/Pollen_descriptions/Pseudobombax_ellipticum.htm>
(3) A webpage of The Nursery Report, Inc. Available at <http://www.nursery-report.com/ImageGallery/PlantPicDet.asp?Plant_ID=P2100> (4)http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/page20.htm

(1) Hawaii (2) Texas (3) Florida (4)Hawai‘i

3.01

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

possibly naturalized in Jamaica [or possibly only cultivated, no details given]

3.02

no evidence

3.03

no evidence

3.04

no evidence

3.05

no evidence

4.01

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. p.301

no description of these traits.

4.02

no evidence

4.03

no evidence

4.04

no evidence

4.05

no evidence

4.06

no evidence

4.07

no evidence

4.08

no evidence

4.09

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. p.301

"Plant in full sun well-drained soil."

4.1

Gilman EF, HW Beck, DG Watson, P. Fowler, DL Weigle & NR Morgan 1996. Southern Trees 2nd edition. University of Florida

" Soil texture tolerance: sand, loam, clay."

4.11

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. p.301

tree

4.12

no evidence

5.01

terrestrial

5.02

tree; Bombacaceae

5.03

no evidence

5.04

tree

6.01

no evidence

6.02

Vega Espinosa, C.; Patiño Valera, F.; Rodriguez y Pacheco, A. A. (1981) Viability of seed of seventy-two tropical forest species stored under ambient conditions. [FT: Viabilidad de semillas en 72 especies forestales tropicales almacenadas al medio ambiente. In Workshop on tropical forest seed problems. San Felipe-Bacalar, Mexico. Oct. 1980.] Publicación Especial, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Mexico, 1981, No.35, pp.325-345, 8 ref.

AB: Seed (mainly of tree species) was collected near Escárcega, Campeche, and stored for up to 2 yr. Viability (expressed as number of months until germination fell to less than or equal to 5%), initial germination %, and number of seeds/kg are reported for each species. Graphs show storage time vs. germination % for Lysiloma bahamensis, Acacia dolichostachya, Hippocratea excelsa, Blepharidium mexicanum, Haematoxylon campechianum, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Lonchocarpus castilloi, Spondias mombin, Manilkara zapota, Sweetia panamensis, Ceiba pentandra, Swietenia macrophylla, and Bombax ellipticum.
[Pseudobombax ellipticum has 80% of germination after 13 months of storage]

6.03

no evidence

6.04

no evidence

6.05

Eguiarte, L.; Martinez del Rio, C.; Arita, H. (1987) Nectar and pollen as resources: the ecological role of visitors to the flowers of Pseudobombax ellipticum. [FT: El néctar y el polen como recursos: el papel ecológico de los visitantes a las flores de Pseudobombax ellipticum (H.B.K.) Dugand.] Biotropica, 1987, Vol.19, No.1, pp.74-82, 16 ref.

AB: P. ellipticum has large, red or white flowers that produce nectar during the night and the following morning. In this study, in Mexico, bats and 3 bird species (orioles) acted as pollinators, but the flowers were also visited by hummingbirds and 4 species of bees (Bombus steindachneri, Melipona fasciata, Xylocopa mexicanorum and Apis mellifera ). The bees and hummingbirds had a negative effect on pollination by reducing oriole pollination. The foraging patterns of the bees depended on the availability of pollen. A study near Tlayacapan, Morelos, Mexico, showed that flowers last one night and the following morning, with nectar production reaching a peak at night. Bats were the main pollinators at night, with orioles (Icterus spp.) being minor pollinators during the day. Hummingbirds and, especially, bees were parasites on the nectar.

6.06

no evidence

6.07

R. Criley, UH Department of Horticulture, personal communication

7.01

no evidence

7.02

an ornamental

7.03

no evidence

7.04

Coile, N.C. (2001) Botany Section, Tri-ology Technical Report, Vol. 39, No. 3
Available at: <http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/00-may-jun.htm>

"Capsule woody, dehiscent, fusiform, to 15 cm long, yellow-brown, glabrous; seeds numerous embedded in white fibers."

7.05

no evidence

7.06

no evidence

7.07

no evidence

7.08

no evidence

8.01

(1) Coile, N.C. (2001) Botany Section, Tri-ology Technical Report, Vol. 39, No. 3
Available at: <http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/00-may-jun.htm>
(2) Vega Espinosa, C.; Patiño Valera, F.; Rodriguez y Pacheco, A. A. (1981) Viability of seed of seventy-two tropical forest species stored under ambient conditions. [FT: Viabilidad de semillas en 72 especies forestales tropicales almacenadas al medio ambiente. In Workshop on tropical forest seed problems. San Felipe-Bacalar, Mexico. Oct. 1980.] Publicación Especial, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Mexico, 1981, No.35, pp.325-345, 8 ref.

(1) "Capsule woody, dehiscent, fusiform, to 15 cm long, yellow-brown, glabrous; seeds numerous embedded in white fibers."
(2) 17400 seeds/kg=17.4 seds/gram [plant needs to produce 1/17.4 kg= 57.47 gram of seeds per square meter to reach 1000 seeds per square meter]

8.02

Vega Espinosa, C.; Patiño Valera, F.; Rodriguez y Pacheco, A. A. (1981) Viability of seed of seventy-two tropical forest species stored under ambient conditions. [FT: Viabilidad de semillas en 72 especies forestales tropicales almacenadas al medio ambiente. In Workshop on tropical forest seed problems. San Felipe-Bacalar, Mexico. Oct. 1980.] Publicación Especial, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Mexico, 1981, No.35, pp.325-345, 8 ref.

AB: Seed (mainly of tree species) was collected near Escárcega, Campeche, and stored for up to 2 yr. Viability (expressed as number of months until germination fell to less than or equal to 5%), initial germination %, and number of seeds/kg are reported for each species. Graphs show storage time vs. germination % for Lysiloma bahamensis, Acacia dolichostachya, Hippocratea excelsa, Blepharidium mexicanum, Haematoxylon campechianum, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Lonchocarpus castilloi, Spondias mombin, Manilkara zapota, Sweetia panamensis, Ceiba pentandra, Swietenia macrophylla, and Bombax ellipticum.  [Pseudobombax ellipticum has 80% of germination after 13 months of storage]

8.03

no evidence

8.04

no evidence

8.05

no evidence


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