Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: High risk, score: 24
|
Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i. Information on Risk Assessments Original risk assessment |
| Rubus discolor (Himalayan blackberry, Himalayaberry) Synonyms: Rubus armeniacus, Rubus fruticosus L., Rubus grabowskii Weihe ex Gunther et al., Rubus macrostemon (Focke) Sampaio, Rubus praecox Bertol., Rubus procerus auct. non P.J. Muell. ex Genev, Rubus thyrsanthus (Focke) Foerster. family - Rosaceae. | Answer | Score | |
| 1.01 | Is the species highly domesticated? (If answer is 'no' then go to question 2.01) | n | 0 |
| 1.02 | Has the species become naturalized where grown? | ||
| 1.03 | Does the species have weedy races? | ||
| 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” | 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 |
| 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 | y | |
| 3.01 | Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05 | y | 2 |
| 3.02 | Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2) | ||
| 3.03 | Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2) | y | 4 |
| 3.04 | Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2) | y | 4 |
| 3.05 | Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2) | y | 2 |
| 4.01 | Produces spines, thorns or burrs | y | 1 |
| 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 | n | 0 |
| 4.07 | Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans | n | 0 |
| 4.08 | Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems | y | 1 |
| 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) | y | 1 |
| 4.11 | Climbing or smothering growth habit | n | 0 |
| 4.12 | Forms dense thickets | y | 1 |
| 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 | y | 1 |
| 6.05 | Requires specialist pollinators | ||
| 6.06 | Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation | y | 1 |
| 6.07 | Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1 | 2 | 0 |
| 7.01 | Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas) | y | 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 | y | 1 |
| 7.06 | Propagules bird dispersed | y | 1 |
| 7.07 | Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally) | n | -1 |
| 7.08 | Propagules survive passage through the gut | y | 1 |
| 8.01 | Prolific seed production (>1000/m2) | y | 1 |
| 8.02 | Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr) | y | 1 |
| 8.03 | Well controlled by herbicides | y | -1 |
| 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: | 24 |
Supporting data:
| Notes | Reference | |
| 1.01 | No evidence | |
| 1.02 | ||
| 1.03 | ||
| 2.01 |
(1)"Himalayan blackberry is native to western Europe (Hickman 1993). There
is no botanical evidence to show that it is native to the Himalayan region.
It may have found its way there as a cultivar." (2)Native range: Rubus
discolor is native to western Europe (3)Native Range Austria Bulgaria France Hungary Morocco Portugal Spain Alien Range:- Australia Canada New Zealand South Africa United States (USA) |
(1)http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=71&surveynumber=182 (2)http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/rubus_discolor.htm (3)http://www.invasivespecies.net/database/species/distribution.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts= |
| 2.02 |
(1)"Himalayan blackberry is native to western Europe (Hickman 1993). There
is no botanical evidence to show that it is native to the Himalayan region.
It may have found its way there as a cultivar." (2)Native range: Rubus
discolor is native to western Europe (3)Native Range Austria Bulgaria France Hungary Morocco Portugal Spain Alien Range:- Australia Canada New Zealand South Africa United States (USA) |
(1)http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=71&surveynumber=182 (2)http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/rubus_discolor.htm (3)http://www.invasivespecies.net/database/species/distribution.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts= |
| 2.03 | (1)Hardy to USDA Zone 6 (2)Elevation: < 1600 m. | (1)http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/rudis.htm (2)http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6899,6900 |
| 2.04 |
(1)"The Himalayan blackberry is a native of the Old World [3,31]. However, it has become widely naturalized in the Northeast from Delaware to Virginia, and in the Pacific Northwest [3]. The Himalayan blackberry occurs from northern California through southern British Columbia eastward to Idaho. It is particularly widespread west of the Cascades [14] and is now abundant along the Snake River in southeastern Washington [13]. It is also locally established in parts of Utah and perhaps Arizona [19,31]." (2)"R. discolor is widely cultivated; it has escaped and become naturalized throughout the western US (Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 2005)." |
(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/rubdis/distribution_and_occurrence.html (2)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts=sss |
| 2.05 |
(1)"The Himalayan blackberry is a native of the Old World [3,31]. However, it has become widely naturalized in the Northeast from Delaware to Virginia, and in the Pacific Northwest [3]. The Himalayan blackberry occurs from northern California through southern British Columbia eastward to Idaho. It is particularly widespread west of the Cascades [14] and is now abundant along the Snake River in southeastern Washington [13]. It is also locally established in parts of Utah and perhaps Arizona [19,31]." (2)"R. discolor is widely cultivated; it has escaped and become naturalized throughout the western US (Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 2005)." |
(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/rubdis/distribution_and_occurrence.html (2)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts=sss |
| 3.01 |
(1)"The Himalayan blackberry is a native of the Old World [3,31]. However, it has become widely naturalized in the Northeast from Delaware to Virginia, and in the Pacific Northwest [3]. The Himalayan blackberry occurs from northern California through southern British Columbia eastward to Idaho. It is particularly widespread west of the Cascades [14] and is now abundant along the Snake River in southeastern Washington [13]. It is also locally established in parts of Utah and perhaps Arizona [19,31]." (2)"R. discolor is widely cultivated; it has escaped and become naturalized throughout the western US (Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 2005)." |
(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/rubdis/distribution_and_occurrence.html (2)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts=sss |
| 3.02 | (1)"It forms impenetrable thickets in wastelands, pastures, and forest plantations. It grows along roadsides, creek gullies, river flats, fence lines (Parsons and Amor 1968), and right-of-way corridors. It is common in riparian areas, where it establishes and persists despite periodic inundation by fresh or brackish water. " "The impenetrable nature of blackberry thickets reduces access for maintenance of fence lines and for forestry practices, as well as recreational pursuits." [Not scored because 3.04 is scored positive as a weed]. | http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=71&surveynumber=182 |
| 3.03 | (1)"It forms impenetrable thickets in wastelands, pastures, and forest plantations. It grows along roadsides, creek gullies, river flats, fence lines (Parsons and Amor 1968), and right-of-way corridors. It is common in riparian areas, where it establishes and persists despite periodic inundation by fresh or brackish water. " (2)"Invasiveness: Rubus discolor is a brambling vine that bears sharp prickles and forms impenetrable thickets. Rubus discolor spreads rapidly from plantings and is considered a pest plant in the United States, particularly on the west coast and some north eastern states (PLANTS 2003). In these areas, R. discolor spreads in wastelands, pastures, forest plantations, along roads, creek gullies, river flats, and fence lines (Parsons and Amor 1968, Amor 1973). In Hawai'i, R. discolor is spreading on Maui and O'ahu." | (1)http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=71&surveynumber=182 (2)http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/rubus_discolor.htm |
| 3.04 |
(1)"General impacts R. discolor colonizes areas initially disturbed and then neglected by humans. It then forms large impenetrable thickets of prickly canes with densities reaching 525 canes per square meter. A large quantity of litter develops in mature thickets. The thickets create dense shade, reducing native species diversity and likely limiting mammal movement in gaining access to water. In addition, the tangled mass of thorny stems blocks access of humans, livestock, equipment, and vehicles to pastures and waterways. These dense thickets and litter buildup represent potential fire hazards (Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 2005; and Hoshovsky, 1989). R. discolor is a perennial weed which is difficult to control due to its ability to regenerate from sections of root stock. In forest areas, timber-logging operations create large open areas that are often invaded by R. discolor. When grazed, the thorny stems can injure nasal passages of livestock. Another undesirable aspect of R. discolor is that they are a good source of food and shelter for rats (DiTomaso, 2006; and Hoshovsky, 1989)." (2)"Noxious weed acts: Rubus discolor is a category B noxious weed in the state of Oregon (INVADERS 2003)." |
(1)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts=sss (2)http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/html/rubus_discolor.htm |
| 3.05 | (1)Rubus argutus (2)Rubus ellipticus and (3)Rubus moluccanus | (1)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=476&fr=1&sts=sss (2)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=79&fr=1&sts=sss (3)http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=994&fr=1&sts=sss |
| 4.01 | "Canes have hooked prickles." | http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=71&surveynumber=182 |
| 4.02 | No evidence | |
| 4.03 | No evidence |