Majidea zanguebarica Kirk ex D. Oliver Family - Sapindaceae. Common Name(s) - mgambo, black pearl tree, velvet-seed tree. Synonym(s) - Majidea zanquebarica, Harpullia zanquebarica

Answer

Score

1.01

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

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

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”

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)

n

0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y

1

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

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

3.03

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

n

0

3.04

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

n

0

3.05

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

n

0

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

n

0

4.03

Parasitic

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

4.05

Toxic to animals

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

n

0

4.09

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

n

0

4.10

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

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

5.01

Aquatic

n

0

5.02

Grass

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

n

0

5.04

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

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y

1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

n

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

n

-1

6.07

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

7.01

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

n

-1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y

1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y

1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

n

-1

8.02

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

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

8.04

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

8.05

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

Total score:

-2

Notes

Reference

1.01

This species has not been cultivated over sufficient generations to distinguish it from wild varieties

1.02

Answer not scored because conditions for scoring (1.01 must = y) were not met

1.03

Answer not scored because conditions for scoring (1.01 must = y) were not met

2.01

(1)"Range Madagascar; cultivated in Nairobi Arboretum, also in Rodrigues, India (Assam), Sri Lanka, Singapore and Hawaii" (2)"Subtropical. Cold hardy at least to 30 degrees F for a short time" (3)Cultivated in Hawaii. Found at the following locations "Foster Botanical Garden, Harold L. Lyon Arboretum" Honolulu, HI (4)"Tropical Africa, Madagascar, possibly Zanzibar…zones 10-11." (5)"A fast-growing tree native to tropical Africa."

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008.http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family (2)Dubinovsky, M. and T. Anderson. Website: TopTropicals - rare plants for home and garden. Accessed 2008. http://toptropicals.com/index.htm (3)Imada, C.T., G.W. Staples, and D.R. Herbst. Webpage: Annotated Checklist of Cultivated Plants of Hawai‘i. Accessed 2008. http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/HBS/botany/cultivatedplants/ (4)Llamas, K.A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants: A Guide to Identification and Cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR (5)Staple, 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. 908 pages

2.02

Native range is well known

2.03

Based on available distribution data, species appears to be confined to lowland tropics (1)"Range Madagascar; cultivated in Nairobi Arboretum, also in Rodrigues, India (Assam), Sri Lanka, Singapore and Hawaii ... KENYA Kilifi District: Marafa, 19 Nov. 1961, Polhill & Paulo 803! Kwale District: Diani Forest, 11–13 July 1972, Gillett & Kibuwa 19874! Lamu District: Witu, Mambosasa Forest Station, 29 Jan. 1958, Verdcourt 2128! TANZANIA Pangani District: Bushiri, 30 Nov. 1950, Faulkner 715! Tanga District: near Moa, Mtotohovu, 10 Sept. 1951, Greenway 8708! Uzaramo District: Dar es Salaam, Yacht Club, 4 Jan. 1970, B.J. Harris 3806! Zanzibar: , Pangajuu Cave-well, 10 June 1930, Vaughan 1340" (2)"Tropical Africa, Madagascar, possibly Zanzibar…zones 10-11." (3)"A fast-growing tree native to tropical Africa."

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008. http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family (2)Llamas, K.A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants: A Guide to Identification and Cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR (3)Staple, 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. 908 pages

2.04

(1)Yes. Within the genus Majidea, there are two species 2 species both native to Africa, Madagascar

(1)Buijsen, J.R.M., P.C. Van Welzen, and R.W.J.M. Van der Ham. 2003. A Phylogenetic Analysis of Harpullia (Sapindaceae) with Notes on Historical Biogeography. Systematic Botany 28(1): 106–117

2.05

Cultivated as an ornimental. Known to be cultivated in at least 3 separate places outside its native range (1)"cultivated inNairobi Arboretum, also in Rodrigues, India (Assam), Sri Lanka, Singapore and Hawaii"

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008. http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

3.01

No evidence that this species has naturalized anywhere outside its native range on the island of Madagascar and coast of Kenya and Tanzania

3.02

No evidence

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

There are only two species in the genus Majidea(1). Neither is known to be a weed

(1)Buijsen, J.R.M., P.C. Van Welzen, and R.W.J.M. Van der Ham. 2003. A Phylogenetic Analysis of Harpullia (Sapindaceae) with Notes on Historical Biogeography. Systematic Botany 28(1): 106–117

4.01

No. See description: (1)"Shrub or tree 2–22 m. tall; bark rough or ± smooth, whitish buff; slash cream to pale orange; twigs with raised whitish lenticels."

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008. http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

4.02

No evidence

4.03

Not known to be parasitic (1)

(1)USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Staff. 2008. Parasitic Plant Genera List

4.04

Unknown

4.05

Unknown

4.06

Unknown

4.07

Unknown

4.08

Growth habit (tree lacking volatile oils) makes fire unlikely

4.09

(1)"Full sun to semi-shade" (2)"Prefers full sun"

(1)Dubinovsky, M. and T. Anderson. Website: TopTropicals - rare plants for home and garden. Accessed 2008. http://toptropicals.com/index.htm (2)Government of Singapore. Webpage: ational Parks Board of Singapore- Plants. Accessed 2008. http://www.nparks.gov.sg/PlantInfo.aspx?id=7100

4.10

Unknown

4.11

No. A tree see following description: (1)"Small tree to 5m. Leaves compound, pinnate, up to 10 pairs leaflets. Flowers small green, dense custers. Fruits spherical with 3 lobes, 3cm long; plits open, interior bright red with 3 spherical, velvety blueblack seeds"

(1)Dubinovsky, M. and T. Anderson. Website: TopTropicals - rare plants for home and garden. Accessed 2008. http://toptropicals.com/index.htm

4.12

Unknown

5.01

No. A tree see following description: (1)"Small tree to 5m. Leaves compound, pinnate, up to 10 pairs leaflets. Flowers small green, dense custers. Fruits spherical with 3 lobes, 3cm long; plits open, interior bright red with 3 spherical, velvety blueblack seeds"

(1)Dubinovsky, M. and T. Anderson. Website: TopTropicals - rare plants for home and garden. Accessed 2008. http://toptropicals.com/index.htm

5.02

No. A tree see following description: (1)"Small tree to 5m. Leaves compound, pinnate, up to 10 pairs leaflets. Flowers small green, dense custers. Fruits spherical with 3 lobes, 3cm long; plits open, interior bright red with 3 spherical, velvety blueblack seeds"

(1)Dubinovsky, M. and T. Anderson. Website: TopTropicals - rare plants for home and garden. Accessed 2008. http://toptropicals.com/index.htm

5.03

Plant is in the family Sapindaceae

5.04

No evidence of underground storage organs. Plant reproduces by seed

6.01

No. Listed as a component of the forest understory (1)

(1)Birch, W.R. 1963. Observations on the Littoral and Coral Vegetation of the Kenya Coast. The Journal of Ecology 51(3): 603-615

6.02

Yes (1)"Hawaiian Islands; Oahu; Honolulu, Foster Botanic Garden … Grown as Harpullia "zanzabarica. From seed"

(1)The Pacific Basin Information Node of the U.S. Geological Survey. Webpage: Botanical database. Accessed 2008. http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/natscidb/default.asp?w=PBIN&pt=t

6.03

Unknown

6.04

(1)"A large majidea growing at Foster Botanical Garden appears to have been the source of seeds planted in several places around Oahu." (2)"Flowers yellow-green/red, fragrant. Monoecious [male and female flowers on same tree]"

(1)Staple, 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. 908 pages (2)Lovett, J.C., C.K. Ruffo, R.E. Gereau & J.R.D. Taplin. 2008. Website: Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania. Accessed 2008. http://www.york.ac.uk/res/celp/webpages/projects/ecology/tree%20guide/guide.htm

6.05

Probably not. Flower structure not specialized (1)" flowers pleasantly scented; bracts elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, 1.3–1.7 cm. long, 6–8 mm. wide, pedicels 3–6 mm. long. Sepals ovate, 5–7 mm. long, the outermost largerthan the other 4; petals 4, yellow-green to red with white hairs, elliptic, 6 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, soon falling; disk hardly visible in the female flowers, pink-tinged and conspicuous in the male."

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008.http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

6.06

No evidence. Apparently reproduces by seed. See comments section of 6.02 for more information

6.07

Unknown

7.01

No. Seeds are large and conspicuous and have no means of attachment. See description (1)"Seeds bluish black, ovoid, 1.2 cm. long, finely silky pubescent, ± persistent. Mature fruits and male flowers commonly occur together in the inflorescence"

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008.http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

7.02

Seeds and plants sold online (1)"100 Mgambo Seeds Rare Perfect for Beading or Planting Will Sell Fast!- Supply Limited Fresh from Hawaii Seller is a Commercial Seed Broker Hawaii Dept of Ag Inspected Quick Ship"

(1)Webpage: SeedsHawaii, tropical seeds HDOA inspected. Accessed 2008. http://www.seedshawaii.com/

7.03

No. Seeds are large and conspicuous and have no means of attachment. See description (1)"Seeds bluish black, ovoid, 1.2 cm. long, finely silky pubescent, ± persistent. Mature fruits and male flowers commonly occur together in the inflorescence"

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008.http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

7.04

No. Seeds lack plumes and are too large for wind dispersal. See description (1)"Seeds bluish black, ovoid, 1.2 cm. long, finely silky pubescent, ± persistent. Mature fruits and male flowers commonly occur together in the inflorescence"

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008.http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

7.05

Unknown

7.06

Fruits are <30 mm in diameter, thus, are physically able to be dispersed by birds. No other information on dispersal found

7.07

No. Seeds are 1.2 cm in size and have no hooks or barbs with which to attach to a potential disperser. See description (1)"Seeds bluish black, ovoid, 1.2 cm. long, finely silky pubescent, ± persistent. Mature fruits and male flowers commonly occur together in the inflorescence"

7.08

Bird dispersal syndrome indicates seeds pass through the gut

8.01

Unlikely, as there are < 5 seeds per fruit and these seeds are 1.2 cm in size: (1)"Fruit a thinly woody trigonous apiculate capsule, externally brownish yellow, internally bright pink, 3–3.5 cm. long, 3.5–4.5 cm. wide. Seeds bluish black, ovoid, 1.2 cm. long, finely silky pubescent, ± persistent. Mature fruits and male flowers commonly occur together in the inflorescence."

(1)Aluka Inc. African Species Plant Checklist Webpage. Accessed 2008.http://www.aluka.org/action/doBrowse?sa=1&sa=1&br=tax-epithets-derived%7Cnamed-as%7Cplantname-family

8.02

Unknown

8.03

Unknown

8.04

Unknown

8.05

Unknown