Citharexylum spinosum L., Verbenaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Citharexylum quadrangulare Jacq.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Florida fiddlewood, fiddlewood, spiny fiddlewood

Fijian: masese

Habit:  tree

Description:  "A ...tree... reaching a height of as much as 50 feet, bears no spines, and has smooth, quadrangular twigs.  The rather thin, smooth, oval or oblong leaves are 8 inches or less long, coarse-toothed or entire, pointed at tip, narrowing at base to a short stem; they are opposite or three together.  Fragrant, white, tubular five-parted flowers, each about 0.3 inch long, are borne in narrow clusters, which are 4 to 12 inches long, branched below or not.  The fruit is a shiny, black, oblong drupe less than 0.5 inch long"  (Neal, 1965; pp. 725-726).

Habitat/ecology:  "This evergreen, medium-sized tree does not have the spines that its scientific name suggests. It forms crowded stands even in undisturbed habitats. Its fire response in Hawai‘i is unknown. It has not been evaluated for biological control.  Extensively planted as an ornamental.  It grows in dry habitats generally below 500 m" (Smith, 1985; p. 188). Planted as a street tree.  In Fiji, "cultivated and naturalized near sea level" (Smith, 1991; pp. 177-178).

Propagation:  Dispersed by frugivorous birds.

Native range:  Florida, the West Indies, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (pp. 177-178) Vouchers cited: DA 7557, Wilder 1234, H.B.R. Parham 67 & 319, DA 12265, DA 12613
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1962) (voucher ID: BISH 33654) Taxon name on voucher: Citharexylum spinosum L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1960) (voucher ID: BISH 33655) Taxon name on voucher: Citharexylum spinosum L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1933) (voucher ID: BISH 186963) Taxon name on voucher: Citharexylum spinosum L.
French Polynesia French Polynesia Islands	French Polynesia Islands	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 94) "Potential invader".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 26) East Maui. Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 980310-1 (BISH), Starr & Martz 980401-42 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 41) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 050516-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Herbarium Pacificum Staff (1998) (p. 13) Voucher cited: C. Imada et al. 92-4 Spreading in dry habitats.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 138) Vouchers cited: Suprin 1241 (NOU), MacKee 40191, MacKee 40241, MacKee 40309

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 26) Cultivated only

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control: 

Biological: The lantana stem-sucking bug (Acanophora compressa), introduced to Australia as a control for Lantana camara also has attacked Citharexylum spinosum (Rachel McFadyen, communication to Aliens listserver).