Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Tabebuia impetiginosa

RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Low risk, score: -2

Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.
Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment
  Tabebuia impetiginosa (Mauve tabebuia, amapa, amapa rosa, ipe roxo) Synonym- Tabebuia palmeri Family- Bignoniaceae 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) 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 n -2
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    
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 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) y 1
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 n -1
6.05 Requires specialist pollinators n 0
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 4 -1
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 y 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 n -1
8.01 Prolific seed production (>1000/m2) n -1
8.02 Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr) n -1
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:   -2

Supporting data:

  Notes Reference
1.01 No evidence  
1.02 No evidence of naturalization  
1.03 No evidence  
2.01 Tabebuia is native from Mexico to Argentina. Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.
2.02 Tabebuia is native from Mexico to Argentina. It is frequently cultivated outside its native range such as in Hawaii and Florida. Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.
2.03 (1)"The species has a wide distribution in Central and South American subtropical and tropical forests covering many vegetation formations, but reaches its highest abundance in semi-deciduous seasonally dry forests (Gentry, 1992). It occurs east of the Andes in South America from northern Argentina extending into Central America as far as east-central Mexico. Forest types containing T. impetiginosa include Atlantic rainforests, caatinga, cerrado (Lorenzi, 1995); semi-deciduous broadleaf forests, chaco woodland forests, montane humid forests (Killeen et al, 1993; Navarro, 1997); sub-Andean foothill forests (Gentry, 1973); Amazon humid forests, and sub-humid forests (Gentry, 1973). It occurs in both primary and secondary closed forests as well as in open savannahs and woodlands (Lorenzi, 1995)."  Altitude range: 0 - 1400 m
- Mean annual rainfall: 500 - 2000 mm
- Rainfall regime: summer
- Dry season duration: 4 - 7 months
- Mean annual temperature: 22 - 29ºC
- Mean maximum temperature of hottest month: 25 - 33ºC
- Mean minimum temperature of coldest month: 19 - 23ºC
- Absolute minimum temperature: -5 - 99ºC
(2)USDA hardiness zones: 9B through 11		 (1)CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.  (2)http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ST617
2.04 Tabebuia is native from Mexico to Argentina. It is frequently cultivated outside its native range such as in Hawaii and Florida. Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.
2.05 Tabebuia is native from Mexico to Argentina. It is frequently cultivated outside its native range such as in Hawaii and Florida. Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.
3.01 No evidence of naturalization  
3.02 No evidence  
3.03 No evidence  
3.04 Invasive potential: little invasive potential. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ST617
3.05 (1)Tabebuia heterophylla - "Invasive in Hawai‘i. Reported invasive on Diego Garcia and naturalizing on Kwajalein (Whistler and Steele, 1999). Naturalized in some locations on Nimitz Hill, Guam (Bart Lawrence, personal communication). Reported to be a problem species on Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean."  (2)"General impacts of T. heterophylla:
On the island Mauritius, Parnell et al. (1989) found that, "T. heterophylla was spreading rapidly on the island, with small numbers of mature trees present but abundant young plants and seedlings. It appears to grow faster than any native or exotic tree on the island. Most T. heterophylla bear leaves and branches almost to the base and cast a deep shade under which virtually no other species grow. T. heterophylla is deciduous and its thick litter layer may also prevent the growth of native seedlings.
PIER (2004) states that, "T. heterophylla is invasive in Hawai‘i. It is also reported invasive on Diego Garcia and naturalizing on Kwajalein (Whistler and Steele, 1999). T. heterophylla is also naturalized in some locations on Nimitz Hill, Guam (Bart Lawrence, personal communication)."
Zimmerman et al. (2000) state that, "T. heterophylla readily invades pasture via seed." In their study, Zimmerman et al. (2000) state that, "T. heterophylla appears to facilitate the colonization of many common forest species that are unable to establish in recently abandoned pasture."
Weaver (1990) states that, "T. heterophylla regenerates and forms pure stands on grasslands and degraded soils, in particular on exposed upper slopes and ridges, where competition from faster growing, larger, and more tolerant trees is lacking." In the seedling and sapling stages, T. heterophylla is an aggressive pioneer (Weaver, 1990), and it can maintain viable populations in both dry and moist forest habitats (Cordero and Molano, 1996)."
 		 (1)http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/tabebuia_heterophylla.htm  (2)http://www.invasivespecies.net/database/species/ecology.asp?si=868&fr=1&sts=
4.01 No evidence of such structures. CAB International, 2000. Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
4.02 No evidence  
4.03 No evidence  
4.04 Don’t know.