| Miconia crenata | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Melastomataceae |
| Genus: | Miconia |
| Species: | M. crenata |
| Binomial name | |
| Miconia crenata (Vahl) Michelang. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Miconia crenata [1] (syn. Clidemia hirta), commonly called soapbush, clidemia or Koster's curse, is a perennial shrub. It is an invasive plant species in many tropical regions of the world, causing serious damage.
Miconia crenata is a densely branching perennial shrub normally growing 0.5–3 m tall, but sometimes growing 5 m tall, depending on habitat. [2]
The branchlets are covered in large, stiff, brown or reddish-colored hairs. The simple leaves are oppositely arranged, oval-shaped in outline with a broad base, pointed tips, and almost entire to crenate or finely toothed margins. The leaves are also sparsely covered in hairs above, while more densely hairy beneath; and also have five distinct veins that run in an almost parallel fashion from the leaf bases to their tips. [2]
The flowers are arranged in small clusters at the tips of the branches. Each flower has five white, or occasionally pale pinkish, petals and five distinctive stamens that have a claw-like appearance. The base of the flower is swollen into a cup-shaped structure which is moderately to sparsely covered with a mixture of bristly and sticky hairs. [2]
The small, rounded fruit are berries and are either dark blue, purplish or blackish in color. Each of these berries contains over 100 light brown colored seeds. [2]
Native from tropical areas in the Americas (Mexico to Paraguay as well as the Caribbean region). [3] [4] This species grows in dry to wet tropical climates up to 1200 m of elevation. [5]
"Koster's curse" is a commonly used name in places where the plant grows as a noxious weed, such as Hawaii. [6] [7] It was introduced to Fiji in the late 1800s, likely by a coffee planter named William Parr who shared his seeds with others across the region; however the introduction was apparently misattributed by locals to a neighboring sugar planter named Köster. [6] Other common names reported for this species are soapbush and clidemia. [7]
This species is native to much of tropical America, but is an invasive species in Southern Asia, East Africa, and some oceanic islands (like Hawaii and Australia) with warmer climates. [2] It is a potential weed of wetter pastures, open grasslands, plantations, roadsides, wetter open woodlands, riparian zones (banks of watercourses), forest margins and rainforests. [2] M. crenata can form dense thickets that smother plantations, pastures and native vegetation. Disturbance is a key element in the establishment and invasion of the plant. Wildfires, landslides, windstorms and other forms of soil disturbance (such as pig rooting) accelerate the dominance of this weed (Smith Undated; Peters 2001).
In its native environment plants are confined to open areas and only become dominant about twelve months after disturbance, such as in slash-and-burn agricultural areas (Burkhart Pers. Comm, in Smith Undated). All new range extensions in Hawaii begin along the open edges of trails or other disturbed areas. [8] In Hawaii, M. crenata is replacing the endemic species that formerly dominated the forests and threatens them with extinction. Elsewhere, it is regarded as one of the most problematic invasive species in the Comoros Archipelago, on La Réunion, in the Seychelles and on Mauritius. [2] In Sri Lanka it is quite invasive in wet zone and upcountry forests, especially invading gaps in the forest, preventing other native species from emerging. [9]
In order to keep the weed out of an area the primary management objective should be to minimize and prevent disturbance (Smith Undated). [8] Manually pulling plants out of the ground supplemented by herbicide application is an effective but temporary control method. [3] The thrips species Liothrips urichi from Trinidad is being used to biologically control M. crenata and is very effective in pastures but much less so in woodlands; [10] it was first employed on Fiji in 1930 (Simmonds, 1933). Controlling feral pig populations (Sus scrofa) has been widely suggested as an effective means to reduce the spread of M. crenata, as ground disturbance by these exotic mammals is strongly linked to the successful establishment of M. crenata, as well as a number of other invasive plants such as Morella faya.
Although sheep have been shown to control most weeds in plantations, they will not eat M. crenata (Francis, 2004). [11] According to Mune and Parham (1967), no effective chemical control for M. crenata exists. However, Teoh et al. (1982) report that M. crenata may be killed by applications of triclopyr. Norman and Trujillo (1995) have found that a mycoherbicide containing Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f.sp. clidemiae as the active ingredient was effective against M. crenata. [11]
M. crenata has been nominated as among 100 of the "World's Worst" invaders by the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group and it has been listed as a noxious weed in Queensland and the Northern Territories (Australia) and Hawaii. It is not listed as a noxious weed by the state or governments in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. [2]
An infestation of M. crenata was found in Julatten (near Mount Molloy, Queensland) in 2001. This outbreak threatens to spread into the Mount Lewis National Park and Mowbray National Park. Community-based efforts to control the plant in Julatten are coordinated by the Mitchell River watershed management group. [12]
In New South Wales Australia, there is a hotline number for citizens to call and report to the Department of Primary Industries any noticed occurrences of the plant. [13]
Miconia is a genus of flowering plants in the glory bush family, Melastomataceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. The species are mostly shrubs and small to medium-sized trees up to 15 m tall. The generic name honours Catalan physician and botanist Francesc Micó. Some species are known by the common name johnnyberry.
Miconia calvescens, the velvet tree, miconia, or bush currant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae. It is native to Mexico and Central and South America and it has become one of the world's most invasive species.
The Clidemia thrips, Liothrips urichi, is a thrips species from Trinidad. It is used as a biological control agent to stop the spread of Clidemia hirta, an invasive plant species that does much damage in many tropical areas of the world.
Liothrips is a genus of thrips with almost 300 described species. They are ordered into three subgenera, Epiliothrips, Liothrips and Zopyrothrips.
Lantana camara is a species of flowering plant within the verbena family (Verbenaceae), native to the American tropics. It is a very adaptable species, which can inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems; once it has been introduced into a habitat it spreads rapidly; between 45ºN and 45ºS and more than 1,400 metres in altitude.
C. hirta may refer to:
Euphorbia rockii is a rare species of flowering plant in the euphorb family known by the common names Koolau Range sandmat and Rock's broomspurge. It is endemic to Oʻahu, Hawaii, where it is known only from the Koʻolau Mountains. There are 200 to 300 plants remaining. Like other Hawaiian euphorbs, this plant is known locally as ʻakoko.
Cyanea crispa is a rare species of flowering plant known by the common names crimped rollandia and Koolau Range rollandia. It is endemic to Oahu, where there are no more than fifty individuals remaining in the Koʻolau Range. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.
Cyanea koolauensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names Palolo Valley rollandia and narrowleaf rollandia. It is native to Oahu, where it is known only from the Koʻolau Mountains. It is a federally listed endangered species. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.
Cyanea recta is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names upright cyanea and Kealia cyanea. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Kauai. It is a federally listed threatened species of the United States. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.
Cyrtandra dentata is a rare species of flowering plant in the African violet family known by the common names mountain cyrtandra and sharp-toothed cyrtandra. It is endemic to Oahu in Hawaii, where the most recent count estimates 1640 plants occurring in the Waianae Mountains and Koʻolau Mountains. It is a shrub which can reach 5 meters tall and bears white flowers. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1996. Like other Hawaiian Cyrtandra it is called ha`iwale.
Cyrtandra subumbellata is a rare species of flowering plant in the African violet family known by the common name parasol cyrtandra. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the Koʻolau Mountains on the island of Oahu. By 2008 there were three known populations containing 110 plants, or possibly more. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1996. Like other Hawaiian Cyrtandra it is called ha`iwale.
Cyrtandra viridiflora is a rare species of flowering plant in the African violet family. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the northern Koolau Mountains of Oahu. By 2003 there were nine small populations remaining, for a total of 69 plants. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1996. Like other Hawaiian Cyrtandra it is called ha`iwale.
Lysimachia maxima is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae known by the common name Pelekunu Trail yellow loosestrife. It is endemic to Hawaii, where there are only two small populations remaining on the island of Molokai. It is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.
Melicope lydgatei is a rare species of flowering plant in the citrus family known by the common names Koolau Range melicope and Lydgate's pelea. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the Koolau Range on the island of Oahu. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Hawaiian Melicope, this species is known as alani.
Peristylus holochila is a rare species of orchid known by the common name Hawaii bog orchid. It is endemic to Hawaii. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Trematolobelia singularis, the lavaslope false lobelia, is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the Koʻolau Range on the island of Oahu. It is threatened by the degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Bocconia frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family known by many common names, including plume poppy, tree poppy, tree celandine, parrotweed, sea oxeye daisy, and John Crow bush in English, gordolobo, llorasangre, tabaquillo, palo amarillo, palo de toro and pan cimarrón in Spanish, bois codine in French and bwa kodenn in Haitian Kreyòl. It is native to the Americas, including Mexico, parts of Central and South America, and the West Indies. It is perhaps better known in Hawaii, where it is an introduced species and an aggressive invasive weed with rapid negative effects on local ecosystems. In other parts of the United States it is used as an ornamental plant for its "tropical"-looking foliage.
Meadow knapweed, also known as hybrid knapweed or protean knapweed, is a fertile hybrid between black knapweed and brown knapweed. The taxonomic status of the species is uncertain, and meadow knapweed has been variously described as different species.
Betsy Harrison Gagné (1947–2020) was a botanist, conservation biologist and environmental activist.
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