Hamelia patens Jacq. Family - Rubiaceae. Common Name(s) - firebush, scarletbush Synonym(s) - Hamelia erecta Jacq.

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated? (If answer is 'no' then go to question 2.01)

y=-3, n=0

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y= 1, n=-1

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=1, n=-1

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

0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

1

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

-2

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

2

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.09

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

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.10

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

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

0

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

1

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

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

1

1

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

y

1

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

y

1

8.05

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

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

7

Notes

Reference

1.01

No evidence

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1)Hamelia patens occurs in tropical Florida, throughout the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and in South America south to Bolivia.

(1)Woodson, Jr., R. E., R. W. Schery and J. D. Dwyer. 1980. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 179. Rubiaceae--Part 1. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 1-256.

2.02

2.03

(1)Hardiness: USDA Zones 8-11. Firebush is like coral bean: it is a semi-woody shrub or small tree in zones 10-11, and a perennial that dies to the ground in winter and sprouts back in spring in zones 8-9. (2)Zones 10 and 11 as permanent shrubs; zone 9 as returning perennial shrubs

(1)http://www.floridata.com/ref/H/hame_pat.cfm [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)Riffle, R. L. 1998. The Tropical Look. An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

2.04

(1)The species is also cultivated throughout the moist tropics and subtropics but is not reported to have naturalized outside its native range. (2)Hamelia patens occurs in tropical Florida, throughout the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and in South America south to Bolivia.

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)Woodson, Jr., R. E., R. W. Schery and J. D. Dwyer. 1980. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 179. Rubiaceae--Part 1. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 1-256.

2.05

(1)Cultivated in Hawaiian Islands (2)This fast-growing species is widely planted in all parts of Thailand. It is often grown as a living fence or hedge and soon flowers again after pruning. (3)Introduced to India

(1)Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Plants Cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and Other Tropical Places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI. (2)Puff, C. & V. Chamchumroon. 2003. Non–indigenous Rubiaceae grown in Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin 31: 77-93. (3)Negi, P.S. and P. K. Hajra. 2007. Alien flora of Doon Valley, Northwest Himalaya. Current Science 92(7): 968-978.

3.01

(1)The species is also cultivated throughout the moist tropics and subtropics but is not reported to have naturalized outside its native range. (2)Invasive potential: not known to be invasive (3)Introduced plants in Galapagos. Introduced Species Registered in the Charles Darwin Research Station Herbarium as present in Galapagos (616 species, not including questionably native species), November 2004. (naturalised) [Insufficient evidence for naturalization beyond native range]

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/HAMPATA.PDF [Accessed 15 April 2008] (3)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/hamelia_patens/ [Accessed 16 April 2008]

3.02

(1)fFrebush is relatively common as a "volunteer" (fancy name for a weed), where it can be found reaching for the sun from strategic positions at the edges of hammocks, or in open disturbed sites, throughout South Florida, the Caribbean and Tropical America...The fruits (black when ripe) are juicy enough to attract birds, which will then go over to your neighbor's yard and excrete the seeds (that's where those previously mentioned, so-called "volunteers" come from). (2)Some of the more weedy shrubs invading pastures, such as Cestrum diurnum L., Hamelia patens Jacq., and Samyda dodecandra Jacq., tend to disappear from scrub forest with age ["invades" disturbed habitats] (3)But as I got closer to Guatemala in the rocky, alkaline western half of the country, Firebush was as common as Johnsongrass. It was especially prominent around the town of San Ignacio. It grew in vacant lots, ditches, cemeteries, citrus orchards, pastures, and junkyards. It was a weed! It all appeared to set prolific crops of berries and viable seed. Firebush was also especially prominent around the many ancient Mayan ruins. It is also reported to be frequent about the Chichen Itza ruins in Yucatan, Mexico...After seeing Hamelia patens in its native habitat, I can understand its remarkable adaptation to Texas' growing conditions. The plant actually thrived in unirrigated, uncultivated, hot, rocky conditions (sound familiar?). Belize also has a four month dry season where they receive little if any rainfall. What makes the plant special though, is the fact that it also thrives in heavy clay soils and the high rainfall areas of East Texas and Louisiana. Firebush truly is an adaptable plant. [native plant with weedy attributes] (4)Somehwat weedy, seed distributed by birds. (5)Invasion of secondary vegetation species like Lasiacis rucifolia and members of the Asteraceae is observed; among the shrubs Piper amalago, Solanum erianthum, Hamelia patens are registered [Hamelia invades areas following disturbance] (5)Hamelia patens: present as a weed (the species is present and behaves as a weed, but its rank of importance is unknown). (6)In its natural distribution range, the species is known to be rather aggressive, quickly occupying newly disturbed sites (Elias 1976). Seeds (both in its natural range and elsewhere) are dispersed by birds and germinate readily. (7)The fleshy-fruited Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae) was numerically dominant on the agroforestry plots (53% of all stems on both sites), attaining importance values of 24 at one site and 31 at the other.

(1)http://www.plantcreations.com/hamelia_patens.htm [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)Roth, L. C. 1999. Anthropogenic change in subtropical dry forest during a century of settlement in Jaiquı´ Picado, Santiago Province, Dominican Republic. Journal of Biogeography, 26, 739–759. (3)http://arboretum.sfasu.edu/plants/hameliapatens/hamelia%20patens.htm [Accessed 16 April 2008] (4)Llamas, K.A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants, A Guide to Identification and Cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR. (5)Sánchez-Sánchez, O. and G. A. Islebe. 2002. Tropical forest communities in southeastern Mexico. Plant Ecology 158: 183–200. (5)Holm, L. G., Pancho, J. V., Herberger, J. P. and Plucknett, D. L. 1979. A Geographical Atlas of World Weeds. John Wiley and Sons, NewYork. (6)Puff, C. & V. Chamchumroon. 2003. Non–indigenous Rubiaceae grown in Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin 31: 77-93. (7)Bruce G. Ferguson, John Vandermeer, Helda Morales and Daniel M. Griffith .2003. Post-Agricultural Succession in El Petén, Guatemala Conservation Biology 17 (3) , 818–828.

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

(1)No other members of genus listed as weeds

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinameh.htm [Accessed 16 April 2008]

4.01

(1)No evidence

(1)Woodson, Jr., R. E., R. W. Schery and J. D. Dwyer. 1980. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 179. Rubiaceae--Part 1. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 1-256.

4.02

Unknown (1)Leachates of H. patens also inhibited germination of tomato and amaranth by 72.5 percent and 32.5 percent, respectively. [No evidence of allelopathy in natural settings without concentrated extracts]

(1)Gomez-Pompa, A., M.F. Allen, S.L. Fedick, and J.J. Jimenz-Osornio. 2003. The Lowland Maya Area: Three Millennia at the Human-wildland Interface. The Hawthorn Press, Binghamton, NY.

4.03

No evidence

4.04

(1)Firebush is one of the woody species foraged by sheep and goats in brushy pastures in Costa Rica. These animals consumed 1.3 percent of their body weight of this species in a free-choice test (Benavides 2001). Firebush contains 17.5 percent crude protein and has an in vitro digestibility of 61.6 percent (Benavides 2001). (2)Shrubs listed by susceptibility to damage from deer in Florida...Frequent or Severe Damage...Hamelia patens...Not resistant (3)In the humid sub-tropics of the Peten in Guatemala, the foliage of species that are common on fallow lands and understories have been fed as a supplement to sheep in pasture and have been reported successfully consumed [Species list includes Hamelia patens]

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW137 [Accessed 16 April 008] (3)Benavides, J.E. Research on Forage Trees. Available from http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/ECONF95/PDF/BENVENID.PDF [Accessed 16 April 2008]

4.05

Unknown. Appears in a table of poisonous plants (1) but no other information is given

(1)Pammel, L.H. 1911. A Manual of Poisonous Plants. The Torch Press, Cedar Rapids Iowa

4.06

Unknown (1)Occasional attacks of scales or mites may require control measures. New growth may be attacked by aphids in early spring, but natural predators often rapidly check the invasion [no evidence of serious economic pests] (2)Hamelia: subject to root rot (Clitocybe tabescens) and Rust (Uredo hameliae), both in Florida [Root rot found in a wide range of other host plants]

(1)http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FP/FP23700.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)Westcott, C., and R. K. Horst. 2001. Westcott's Plant Disease Handbook. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Norwell, MA.

4.07

(1)Abstract: Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) has received little attention in the laboratory for its wound healing ability even though it is commonly used as a treatment for wounds throughout Central America. A double incision wound healing bioassay was carried out with a crude extract of Hamelia patens collected from El Salvador. Animals were divided into three groups. Group I (n=14) had the left incision treated with 5% (w/w) Hamelia patens and the contralateral side with petroleum jelly (PJ). Group II (n=14) had the left incision treated with 10% (w/w) ointment and the contralateral side with petroleum jelly. Group III (n=10) had the left incision treated with petroleum jelly and the contralateral side left untreated. Breaking strength of the incisions was measured on day 7 and day 12. For Groups I and II, there was no significant difference between treatment and control incisions at day 7. On day 12, there was a significant difference between the treated and control incisions for Groups I and II. There was no significant difference between petroleum jelly and untreated incisions for Group III on day 7 and day 12. Hamelia patens does increase breaking strength of wounds significantly more than the control group. Further wound healing studies of this plant are warranted. (2)The small, black, glossy fruits are rounded and can be eaten...The sap has been used to treat skin rashes. (3)Indigenous people in Belize use the plant to prepare a natural remedy to treat all types of skin problems including, sores, rashes, wounds, burns, itching, cuts, skin fungus, and insect stings and bites. The remedy is prepared by boiling a double handful of leaves, stems and flowers in 2 gallons of water for 10 minutes.
After it cools, it is applied liberally to the affected area. This same remedy is also drunk as a tea to relieve menstrual cramps.
The Choco Indians in Panama drink a leaf infusion for fever and bloody diarrhea.
The Ingano Indians of northwest Amazonia prepare a leaf infusion for intestinal parasites.
Indigenous tribes in Venezuela chew on the leaves to lower body temperature to prevent a sun or heat stroke.
In the Peruvian Amazon, the leaves are used by the indigenous people for dysentery, fevers, rheumatism and scurvy. Leaves are also warmed or prepared into a poultice and applied externally as a pain reliever for bruises, strains, sprains, and other painful or inflamed conditions.
In Peruvian herbal medicine systems today the Scarlet Bush is used to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and tp expel intestinal worms . It is also used there for dysentery, fevers, itchy conditions, skin diseases, rheumatism, parasites and scurvy.
In Brazil the root is used as a diuretic, while the leaves are used for scabies and headaches.
In Latin American herbal medicine systems scarlet bush is widely used for many affections including skin problems, diarrhea, fever, post partum pain, and menstrual disorders.
In Cuba the leaves are used externally for headaches and sores while a decoction is taken internally for rheumatism.
In Mexico it is widely used externally to stop staunch to flow of blood and heal wounds. [Widely used medicinal plant with no adverse effects mentiond]

(1)Gomez-Beloz, A., J. C. Rucinski, M. J. Balick and C. Tipton. 2003. Double incision wound healing bioassay using Hamelia patens from El Salvador. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 88(2-3): 169-173. (2)http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FP/FP23700.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008] (3)http://www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php [Accessed 16 April 2008]

4.08

No evidence, and growth habit unlikely to carry fire.

4.09

(1)In shade, becomes less shrubby and more tree-like. (2)Light: Does best in full sun but quite well in partial shade. It becomes leggy in shade. (3) FIREBUSH (Hamelia patens) Grows to maximum 12ft. Cold tender. Will freeze to ground but will revive. Wonderful color for shade. Coral tubular flowers with burnt red color leaves. Wildlife attractor. Grows in full shade.

(1)http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP222 [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)http://www.floridata.com/ref/H/hame_pat.cfm [Accessed 15 April 2008] (3)http://www.floridanativeplants.com/articles/shade_plants1.shtml [Accessed 15 April 2008]

4.10

(1)Hardy and adaptable, it grows in a wide array of soil types and pH ranges, including alkaline limestone soils.

(1)Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Plants Cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and Other Tropical Places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI.

4.11

(1)Shrub or treelet

(1)Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Plants Cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and Other Tropical Places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI.

4.12

Unknown (1)This evergreen shrub grows from 3’-5’ tall in Central Florida where it dies back during the winter, but further south it may grow up to 15’ tall. It has a dense growth form and is multi-stemmed. [No evidence if Hamelia is able to form dense stands]

(1)http://www.stetson.edu/plants/media/hameliapatens.pdf [Accessed 16 April 2008]

5.01

Terrestrial

5.02

Rubiaceae

5.03

Rubiaceae

5.04

No evidence

6.01

No evidence

6.02

(1)Propagation is by seed (2)The species can be propagated from seeds, but most commercial ornamentals are produced from cuttings.

(1)Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Plants Cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and Other Tropical Places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI.(2)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008]

6.03

Unknown (1)Cultivated selections may include hybrids [No information on natural hybridization within native range]

(1)Llamas, K.A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants, A Guide to Identification and Cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

6.04

Unknown (1)Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) is a self-incompatible shrub, common at the La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. (2)Each of the four monomorphic species investigated was found to be self-incompatible. In Hamelia, self-pollinated flowers on a few plants produced fruits; however, the proportion of such flowers was much less than that of cross-pollinated flowers on the same plants. (3)The plant produces hermaphroditic, homogamous (self-pollination is possible) [This reference contradicts the previous two references]

(1)Lasso, E. and M. E. Naranjo. 2003. Effect of Pollinators and Nectar Robbers on Nectar Production and Pollen Deposition in Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae). BlOTROPlCA 35(1): 57-66. (2)Bawa, K.S. and J. H. Beach. 1983. Self-Incompatibility Systems in the Rubiaceae of a Tropical Lowland Wet ForestSelf-Incompatibility Systems in the Rubiaceae of a Tropical Lowland Wet Forest. American Journal of Botany 70(9): 1281-1288. (3)Lara, C. and J. F. Ornelas. 2002. Flower mites and nectar production in six hummingbird-pollinated plants with contrasting flower longevities. Can. J. Bot. 80: 1216–1229.

6.05

(1)Hamelia patens was visited by eight hummingbirds and five perching birds during the observation period (Table 1). Seven of the hummingbird species (A. tzacatl, A. amabilis, C. urochysia, E mellivora, K guimeti, Lampornis alohema, and T colombica) made legitimate visits to the flowers and were classified as pollinators...The community of arthropod visitors found in H. patens was very diverse. Butterflies (Heliconiw hecale zuleima, Heliconius ydno, Cissia hermes, and Anartiafatima), bees (Trigona sp., Nomia sp., and Augochlore), ants (Pachycondyh sp. and Paraponera sp.), wasps (Phoebis argante, Agehia sp., and Polistes sp.), and mites were observed on H. patens flowers. Their role as nectar foragers, pollinators, robbers, or thieves was not assessed in this study. Nevertheless, some of them were quite frequent visitors to H. patens and deserve further study because they may affect the reproductive success of this species. (2)The non-apoid flower-visiting fauna of Everglades National Park (ENP), Florida, was surveyed during 1995–1997 as part of a community pollinator survey...Twenty-five species of plants had only non-apoid flower visitors; the majority of these species had only visits by Lepidoptera. [Hamelia patens visited by Lepidoptera pollinators]

(1)Lasso, E. and M. E. Naranjo. 2003. Effect of Pollinators and Nectar Robbers on Nectar Production and Pollen Deposition in Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae). BlOTROPlCA 35(1): 57-66. (2)Pascarella, J.B., K.D. Waddington and P.R. Neal. 2001. Non-apoid flower-visiting fauna of Everglades National Park, Florida. Biodiversity and Conservation 10: 551–566.

6.06

(1)Layering occurs whenever stems come in contact with the ground [capable of limited vegetative reproduction]

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008]

6.07

(1)Growth rate: fast...Flower characteristic: year-round flowering (2)In temperate climates, firebush is grown as an annual. Under these conditions, it gets only about 2 ft (0.6 m) tall...Firebush does not have a dormant period; it grows continuously, flowers almost continuously, and the wood lacks growth rings [Because this plant is grown for its flowers, assume that annual can flower in first year]

(1)http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/HAMPATA.PDF [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)http://www.floridata.com/ref/H/hame_pat.cfm [Accessed 15 April 2008]

7.01

Unknown, but tendency to grow in gaps and disturbed edges increases likelihood that the small seeds could be dispersed unintentionally.

7.02

(1)Firebush is loved and planted as an ornamental almost worldwide in warm, moist areas.

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008]

7.03

Not grown with produce.

7.04

(1)The fruits are quarter-inch-wide scarlet berries, which turn black when mature. These blossoms are favorites of hummingbirds and butterflies, and the fruits are loved by many bird species. (2)Fruits ellipsoid or rotund, to 1 cm long, black at maturity, the ovarian disc often slightly rostrate; seeds 0.5-1.0 mm long.

(1)Riffle, R. L. 1998. The Tropical Look. An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. (2)Woodson, Jr., R. E., R. W. Schery and J. D. Dwyer. 1980. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 179. Rubiaceae--Part 1. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 1-256.

7.05

(1)Laguna Grande, Monagas State, Venezuela, is a shallow, V-shaped lake created by the confluence of two rivers. Montrichardia arborescens (L.) Schott. dominated wetlands cover most of the north and south arms and the littoral zone of the main body of the lake...These wetlands had 53 species. Besides M. arborescens, other common species were Hamelia patens Jacq., Mikania cordifolia (L.)Wild., Sarcostemma clausum (Jacq.) Roem. & Schult., and Vitis caribaea L. [Although not specifically adapted for water dispersal, small seeds have potential to be dispersed by fresh water when growing in appropriate areas]

(1)Gordon, E. and A. G. van der Valk. 2003. Secondary seed dispersal in Montrichardia arborescens (L.) schott dominated wetlands in laguna grande, Venezuela. Plant Ecology 168: 177–190.

7.06

(1)The fruits are quarter-inch-wide scarlet berries, which turn black when mature. These blossoms are favorites of hummingbirds and butterflies, and the fruits are loved by many bird species. (2)Fruits ellipsoid or rotund, to 1 cm long, black at maturity, the ovarian disc often slightly rostrate; seeds 0.5-1.0 mm long. (3)Hamelia patens commonly grows in open, heavily-disturbed areas where it is readily visited by a host of bird species, (4)Both Casearia and Hampea have arils on their seeds, suggesting that the Ochre-bellied Flycatcher is specialized on fruits with large arillate seeds, while the other six species feed primarily on small-seeded berries such as Hamelia patens and Phytolacca rivinoides.

(1)Riffle, R. L. 1998. The Tropical Look. An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. (2)Woodson, Jr., R. E., R. W. Schery and J. D. Dwyer. 1980. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 179. Rubiaceae--Part 1. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 1-256. (3)Zurovchak, J.G. 1997. Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae) accelerates fruit maturation rate in response to increased fruit removal. Biotropica 29(2): 229-231. (4)Palmeirim, J.M., D.L. Gorchov, and S. Stoleson. 1989. Trophic structure of a neotropical frugivore community: is there competition between birds and bats ? Oecologia 79: 403-411.

7.07

No mechanisms for external attachment.

7.08

(1)The fruits are quarter-inch-wide scarlet berries, which turn black when mature. These blossoms are favorites of hummingbirds and butterflies, and the fruits are loved by many bird species. (2)Fruits ellipsoid or rotund, to 1 cm long, black at maturity, the ovarian disc often slightly rostrate; seeds 0.5-1.0 mm long.

(1)Riffle, R. L. 1998. The Tropical Look. An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR. (2)Woodson, Jr., R. E., R. W. Schery and J. D. Dwyer. 1980. Flora of Panama. Part IX. Family 179. Rubiaceae--Part 1. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 1-256.

8.01

(1)Reproduction.—Firebush flowers throughout the year. It is a hummingbird-pollinated plant (Cunningham 1994). The flowers are also visited by butterflies (Desert-Tropicals 2001). There were 970,000 seeds/kg in a collection of seeds from Puerto Rico. [Larger sized plants capable of abundant seed production, esp. if flowering year round].

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008]

8.02

Unknown (1)Hamelia patens germinate from soil seed bank for up to 1 year. (2)H. patens: nondormant seeds…type of dormancy is inferred from available information on germination and on characteristics of seeds in that family. (3)Storage Behaviour: Orthodox? [contradictory information between reference 2 and 3]

(1)Rico-Gray, V. and J. G. Garcia-Franco. 1992. Vegetation and Soil Seed Bank of Successional Stages in Tropical Lowland Deciduous Forest. Journal of Vegetation Science 3(5): 617-624. (2)Baskin, C.C. and J.M. Baskin 1998. Seeds. Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. (3)http://data.kew.org/sid/SidServlet?ID=28232&Num=vBp [Accessed 17 April 2008]

8.03

Unknown [No information on control efforts]

8.04

(1)In its native and other frost-free habitat, firebush grows as a typical shrub, but cultivated in warm temperate areas with hard frosts, it will freeze to the ground and sprout again in the spring. (2)After getting killed back to the ground in winter, it starts growing with the first warm days. Blooming begins when plants are quite small. First one stalk blooms, and then from the base of that flower two stems grow from the base of each, so then there are four. [Plant can die back to base and resprout when conditions are favorable] (3)Though native, it is quite tender, and can be killed to the ground during a freeze. Regrowth from the roots is rapid and rampant and it has proven to be root hardy through zone 9.

(1)http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Hamelia%20patens.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008] (2)Harrison, M. 2003. Gardening in the Coastal South. Pineapple Press, Inc., Sarasota, FL. (3)http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FP/FP23700.pdf [Accessed 15 April 2008]

8.05

Unknown