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

Tournefortia argentea (Argusia argentea; Messerschmidia argentea; tree heliotrope, velvetleaf soldierbush)

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

y

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

y

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

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

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

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

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

n

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

n

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

y

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

n

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

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:

-1

Source

Notes

1.01

No evidence

1.02

(1)Naturalized and common on Midway atoll, Kure, Pearl and Hermes Reef, French Frigate shoals, Lisianski and Layson islands and all the main islands except Kahoolawe. (2)Atoll forests of Tournefortia argentea on the Island of Pitcairn (United Kingdom).

(1)http://www.r1.fws.gov/midway/wildlife/plants.html (2)http://www.unep.ch/islands/IKV.htm

1.03

No evidence

2.01

Native to tropical Asia, tropical Australia, Madagascar, Tuamotus and most of the high and low islands of Polynesia and Micronesia.

www.r1.fws.gov/midway/wildlife/plants.html

2.02

2.03

'It grows in littoral forest on rocky and sandy coasts, and is particularly common in sandy open habitats of atolls, often bring the tree species closest to the ocean.'

http://www.r1.fws.gov/midway/wildlife/plants.html

2.04

(1)Native to tropical Asia, tropical Australia, Madagascar, Tuamotus and most of the high and low islands of Polynesia and Micronesia. Naturalized and common on Midway atoll, Kure, Pearl and Hermes Reef, French Frigate shoals, Lisianski and Layson islands and all the main islands except Kahoolawe.

(1)http://www.r1.fws.gov/midway/wildlife/plants.html

2.05

Present in Philippines, Hawaii, India, Pakistan, Florida

Aronson, James A. 1989. Haloph, a data base of salt tolerant plants of the world. Office of Arid Land Studies Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, 77 pp.

3.01

(1)Naturalized and common on Midway atoll, Kure, Pearl and Hermes Reef, French Frigate shoals, Lisianski and Layson islands and all the main islands except Kahoolawe. (2)Atoll forests of Tournefortia argentea on the Island of Pitcairn (United Kingdom).

(1)http://www.r1.fws.gov/midway/wildlife/plants.html (2)http://www.unep.ch/islands/IKV.htm

3.02

No evidence

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

T. hirsutissima is a principal weed in Peurto Rico. T. bicolor is a common weed in Peru.

An electronic atlas of weeds and invasive species, Version 1.0. 1997. CD-ROM database.

4.01

No evidence

4.02

sometimes planted to provide soil improvement and leaves or mulch (fertilizer) for the swamp taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis)

http://www.overstory.agroforester.com/overstory/overstory49.html

4.03

No evidence

4.04

No information

4.05

No evidence

4.06

No evidence

http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/all/FindRecOneFungusFrame.cfm

4.07

No evidence

4.08

No information regarding fire ecology., possibly, growth form with many low, spreading branches, pubescent leaves.

4.09

No information. Probably not since it is a coastal species.

4.1

Probably not since it is a coastal species and is found naturally only in sandy soils.

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu.

4.11

No evidence - not a vine.

4.12

No evidence

5.01

Small tree up to 5 m or more in height. (Boraginaceae)

http://www.r1.fws.gov/midway/wildlife/plants.html

5.02

5.03

5.04

6.01

No evidence

6.02

This is the only possible explanation for naturalization in Hawaii

6.03

No information regarding hybridization.

6.04

No information.

6.05

(1)Flowers sessile in stiff, paniculate scorpoid cymes. White corolla 2.5 - 3 mm long with short tube - 1.5 to 2 mm long. (2)Messerschmidia argentea , with exposed nectaries, was visited by many bees, predominantly short-tongued Halictidae

(1)Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu. (2) Iwata, M. 1990. Studies on insect communities on flowers. I. On the behaviour of flower-visiting Hymenoptera in Iriomote Island.Proceedings of Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu Tokai University. 9:17-24

6.06

Stricly a tree, no runners

6.07

R. Criley, UH Department of Horticulture, personal communication

7.01

Probably not as the seeds are dispersed by water through buoyant fruits.

Nakanishi, H. 1988. Dispersal ecology of the maritime plants in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Ecological research. 3(2): 163 - 173.

7.02

Probably not as it is not a much in demand ornamental plant.

7.03

Probably not as the species is not of commercial importance.

7.04

7.05

Seeds are dispersed by water. 'The species dispersed by fruit are …. Messerschmidia argentea, … Floating in sea water the exocarps of most of these species are eroded. Buoyancy … is due to corky mesocarp …'

Nakanishi, H. 1988. Dispersal ecology of the maritime plants in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Ecological research. 3(2): 163 - 173.

7.06

7.07

7.08

8.01

(1)White, fleshy globose fruits. No information regarding seed size and number. (2)Four nutlets per fruit [borderline, about 50 fruits per inflorescence, approaching 1000 seeds per m2 if 5 or more inflorescences exist in 1 m2]

(1)Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu. (2)http://midway.fws.gov/wildlife/plants.html

8.02

No information regarding seed bank or seed longevity.

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

No information.

8.05

Don’t know.