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

Guaiacum officinale; Lignum vitae

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

n

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

n

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

n

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

n

4.09

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

y=1, n=0

n

4.1

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

y

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

8

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

y

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

n

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

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

y

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

n

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

-6

Source

Notes

1.01

no evidence

1.02

Wunderlin, R. P. 1998, Guide to the vascular plants of Florida. Gainesville, University Press of Florida.

rare escape from cultivation, not recently collected

1.03

no evidence

2.01

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Guaiacum+officinale (07 June 2002)

Native:
Southern America: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Colombia; Cuba; Dominica; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guyana; Hispaniola; Jamaica; Martinique; Montserrat; Puerto Rico; St. Vincent and Grenadines; Suriname; Venezuela
Other: widely cult. in tropics

2.02

2.03

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

Natural latitude range: Approximate limits north to south: 24°N to 8°N
Climate descriptors
- Altitude range: 0 - 200 m
- Mean annual rainfall: 300 - 1000 mm
- Rainfall regime: summer; uniform
- Dry season duration: 2 - 4 months
- Mean annual temperature: 24 - 28ºC
- Mean maximum temperature of hottest month: 32 - 38ºC
- Mean minimum temperature of coldest month: 13 - 18ºC
- Absolute minimum temperature: 10 - 14ºC

2.04

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

Natural latitude range: Approximate limits north to south: 24°N to 8°N
List of countries with natural populations
Caribbean: Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands
Central America: Panama
South America: Colombia, Venezuela
List of countries where planted
Asia: Pakistan
Caribbean: Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, United States Virgin Islands
Central America: Panama
North America: USA (Delaware)
South America: Brazil (Matto Grosso), Colombia, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela

2.05

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

Natural latitude range: Approximate limits north to south: 24°N to 8°N
List of countries with natural populations
Caribbean: Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands
Central America: Panama
South America: Colombia, Venezuela
List of countries where planted
Asia: Pakistan
Caribbean: Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, United States Virgin Islands
Central America: Panama
North America: USA (Delaware)
South America: Brazil (Matto Grosso), Colombia, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela

3.01

Wunderlin, R. P. 1998, Guide to the vascular plants of Florida. Gainesville, University Press of Florida.

rare escape from cultivation, not recently collected

3.02

no evidence

3.03

Holme et al. Geographic Atlas of World Weeds

Listed as "present" in Jamaica (native habitat), not a weed

3.04

no evidence

3.05

no evidence

4.01

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

smooth

4.02

no evidence

4.03

no evidence

4.04

no evidence

4.05

Mendes, N. M.; Gómez, J. D.; Araújo, N.; Zani, C. L.; Katz, N. .1993. Preliminary tests of Guaiacum officinale L. as a molluscicide. FT: Ensaios preliminares do Guaiacum officinale L. como moluscicida. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, .35:509-513

Molluscicide [but no reports of natural poisoning in animals]

4.06

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_IN119

Diaprepes Root Weevil Host (generalist)

4.07

no evidence

4.08

a rare, slow growing tree

4.09

Gilman EF, HW Beck, DG Watson, P. Fowler, DL Weigle & NR Morgan 1996. Southern Trees 2nd edition. University of Florida

light requirements: full sun

4.1

Gilman EF, HW Beck, DG Watson, P. Fowler, DL Weigle & NR Morgan 1996. Southern Trees 2nd edition. University of Florida

soil texture tolerance: sand, clay, loam

4.11

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

"G. officinale is a small to medium-sized tree"

4.12

rare, slow growing tree

5.01

terrestrial

5.02

tree; Zygophyllaceae

5.03

no evidence

5.04

tree

6.01

(1) CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB
(2) International.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, International Affairs. Webpage: Guaiacum officinale (2) Avaialable at <http://international.fws.gov/animals/guaioffi.html> 

(1) "It is a very slow growing species. In 1992, G. officinale was listed on Appendix II of CITES."
(2) Population trends-
Regeneration of this species is good, but growth is very slow (World Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1998. Guaiacum officinale. Tree Conservation Database. Cambridge, UK.). Populations of G. officinale are now severely reduced in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Virgin Islands, and Colombia and extinct or almost extinct in Antigua, Anguilla, and Barbuda.This taxon is considered Endangered1 by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre since its population is estimated to number less than 2500 mature individuals and a continuing decline in numbers of mature individuals is observed, projected, or inferred and the population structure is severely fragmented (i.e. no subpopulation is estimated to contain more than 250 mature individuals)(WCMC 1998). [decline due to harvesting for wood]

6.02

Cooper, P. (1986) Lignum vitae (Guaiacum officinale ) seed pre-treatment experiment. Lignum vitae (Guaiacum officinale ) seed pre-treatment experiment., 1986, 7 pp., 1 ref.

AB: G. officinale seeds were subjected to 6 pre-treatments: (a) dipping in hot (90 deg C) water for 2 min, then soaking for 48 h; (b) soaking for 24 h then leaving to dry for 24 h, repeated for 7 days; (c) soaking in H2SO4 for 1.5 h; (d) shaking with grit in a jar for 1 h; (e) exposure to ants for 1 wk; (f) no pre-treatment (control). Treatment (b) accelerated germination, while (a), (c) and (d) had adverse effects on germination capacity.

6.03

no evidence

6.04

no evidence

6.05

symetrical, open flower visited by bees (personal observation)

6.06

no evidence

6.07

Beg, M. A. A.; Shams, Z. I. (1989) Impact of air pollution on vegetative growth (Guaiacum officinale ) in Karachi. Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1989, Vol.32, No.6, pp.395-404, 32 ref.

AB: Data on ecological parameters such as leaf area, dry matter and senescence, and flowering and fruiting of Guaiacum officinale were recorded for 2 yr (1986-87) to quantify the effect of air pollution due to vehicular exhaust emissions at 20 traffic congestion points in Karachi, Pakistan. Damage to plants (in terms of reduced growth, etc.) was greatest at the 16 road island sites, with the Grumandir site most seriously affected with respect to leaf area, dry weight and senescence, while at Nazimabad and Tariq Road the effects were high on flowering and fruiting. The plants at Karachi University (out of town, on lawns) were least affected. There was a 40% reduction in leaf area at highly polluted spots. The dry weight of the leaves was also sensitive to pollution and decreased with increase in the amount of pollution. Flowering of plants >8 yr old at the polluted sites spanned 5-6 months, while at the least polluted spots it spanned 10-11 months (exception January/February); plants <8 yr old did not flower

7.01

no evidence

7.02

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

List of countries where planted
Asia: Pakistan
Caribbean: Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, United States Virgin Islands
Central America: Panama
North America: USA (Delaware)
South America: Brazil (Matto Grosso), Colombia, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela

7.03

no evidence

7.04

no evidence

7.05

no evidence

7.06

Gilman EF, HW Beck, DG Watson, P. Fowler, DL Weigle & NR Morgan 1996. Southern Trees 2nd edition. University of Florida

fruit fleshy, yellow, less than 0.5 inch

7.07

no evidence

7.08

bird dispersal

8.01

one seed per fruit

8.02

CAB International, (2000) Forestry Compendium Global Module. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

"Seed storage recalcitrant"

8.03

no evidence

8.04

Gilman EF, HW Beck, DG Watson, P. Fowler, DL Weigle & NR Morgan 1996. Southern Trees 2nd edition. University of Florida

probably not - very slow growing tree wih dense wood. Trees have a tendency to become top-heavy and can be easily killed after being blown over by wind

8.05

no evidence