Psychotria carthagenensis Jacq., Rubiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk (based on second screen), score: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "A shrub 1-2 m. high, glabrous or nearly so; stipules membranaceous, ferruginous, caducous, less than 1 cm. long, obtuse or rounded at the apex; leaves short-petiolate, commonly rather thick, lance-elliptic to oblong-obovate, broadest at or above the middle, commonly 6-12 cm. long and 3-5 cm. broad, acute or acuminate or sometimes obtuse, at the base acute to long-attenuate, glabrous beneath or rarely puberulent on the nerves, often conspicuously domatiate in the nerve axils, the lateral nerves about 10 pairs; inflorescence terminal, erect, paniculate, usually long-pedunculate, generally radiately branched from the base, with divergent branches, the branches glabrous, the bracts caducous, the flowers sessile or nearly so; calyx obsoletely denticulate; corolla white, glabrous or very minutely puberulent, 4-5 mm. long, with very short lobes; fruit red, subglobose, 4 mm. long, the nutlets costate dorsally"  (Standley & Williams, 1975; 24(11): 146-147).

"A nearly glabrous shrub 1-3 meters, high; stipules large, thin, obovate, obtuse, brownish; leaves short-petiolate, the blades lance-elliptic to oblong-obovate, broadest at or above the middle, acute or acuminate, acute to attenuate at the base, puberulent beneath along the nerves or glabrate; inflorescence pedunculate, paniculate, open, usually radiately branched at the base, many-flowered, the minute bracts deciduous; calyx obsoletely denticulate; corolla white, glabrous or minutely puberulent, 4 mm. long; fruit red, 4 mm. long"  (Macbride & Dahlgren, 1936; 13(6/1): 187).

Habitat/ecology:  In Guatemala (native): "moist or dry forest or thickets, chiefly on the Pacific coastal plain, at 400 m. or less"  (Standley & Williams, 1975; p. 146-147).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Southern Mexico to Panama, southward to Bolivia and Argentina"  (Standley & Williams, 1975; 24(11): 146-147).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (year unknown) (voucher ID: PTBG 35287) Taxon name on voucher: Psychotria carthagenensis Jacq.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced	Randall, R. P. (2007) (p. 393)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	Standley, Paul C./Williams, Louis O. (1975) (pp. 146-147)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Veracruz
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	Macbride, J. Francis (1936) (p. 187)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Psychotria carthagenensis, please let us know.