Metrosideros kermadecensis W. R. B. Oliv. Common name- Kermadec pohutukawa. Family - Myrtaceae.

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)

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

y

2

3.02

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

y

2

3.03

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

n

0

3.04

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

3.05

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

y

2

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

n

-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

n

0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

n

0

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

4.1

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

n

0

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

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

y

1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

n

-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

n

-1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

n

-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y

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:

3

Notes

Reference

1.01

No evidence.

1.02

1.03

2.01

"Metrosideros kermadecensis, commonly called the (Kermadec Pōhutukawa) is an evergreen tree of the myrtle family which is endemic to the volcanic Kermadec Islands about 900 km north-east of New Zealand."

http://www.answers.com/topic/metrosideros-kermadecensis

2.02

2.03

"The low story tree forms associations with diverse arboreal species. This is favored by the broad ecological amplitude of M. kermadecensis which is able to exist under many varied conditions. "

VORONOV A G; SOZINOV L V. ECOLOGICAL PLASTICITY OF SOME INSULAR PLANTS ACCORDING TO OBSERVATIONS ON RAOUL ISLAND IN THE KERMADEC ISLANDS NEW-ZEALAND. Byulleten' Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytatelei Prirody Otdel Biologicheskii 83 (4) : 85-96 1978

2.04

"Metrosideros kermadecensis, commonly called the (Kermadec Pōhutukawa) is an evergreen tree of the myrtle family which is endemic to the volcanic Kermadec Islands about 900 km north-east of New Zealand."

http://www.answers.com/topic/metrosideros-kermadecensis

2.05

(1)"Metrosideros kermadecensis, from the Kermadec Islands off New Zealand, has escaped from cultivation on Maui and may be considered a pest species." (2)" …M. kermadecensis (pohutakawa) is known from BISH specimens to have been firs collected in Hawaii on Oahu in 1995 and is now spreading from plantings at the Agricultural Experiments Station in Kula, where it is sparingly naturalized and a pest for the station." (3)Listed as an invasive plant targeted for removal on Lord Howe Island.

(1)http://www.answers.com/topic/metrosideros-kermadecensis (2)Evenhuis, N. L. and Eldredge, L. 2004. Bishop Museum Occassional Papers. 79 pg 25. (3)http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDFs/LHI_draft_plan_dec06.pdf

3.01

(1)"It is widely cultivated in New Zealand and has naturalised in Hawaii." (2)"Metrosideros kermadecensis, from the Kermadec Islands off New Zealand, has escaped from cultivation on Maui and may be considered a pest species." (3) Naturalized on Norfolk Island

(1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosideros_kermadecensis (2)http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Metrosideros-ohia.pdf (3)page 191 in Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands By Dieter Mueller-Dombois, Francis Raymond Fosberg 1998

3.02

(1)"Metrosideros kermadecensis, from the Kermadec Islands off New Zealand, has escaped from cultivation on Maui and may be considered a pest species." (2)" …M. kermadecensis (pohutakawa) is known from BISH specimens to have been firs collected in Hawaii on Oahu in 1995 and is now spreading from plantings at the Agricultural Experiments Station in Kula, where it is sparingly naturalized and a pest for the station." (3)Category 4 weed on Lord Howe Island.- The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed. It must be prevented from spreading to adjoining property [it is perceived as a weed but impacts not known and impacted natural habitats undocumented; merits disturbance weed rating]

(1)http://www.answers.com/topic/metrosideros-kermadecensis (2)Evenhuis, N. L. and Eldredge, L. 2004. Bishop Museum Occassional Papers. 79 pg 25. (3)http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDFs/LHI_draft_plan_dec06.pdf

3.03

No evidence

3.04

(1)"Metrosideros kermadecensis, from the Kermadec Islands off New Zealand, has escaped from cultivation on Maui and may be considered a pest species." (2)" …M. kermadecensis (pohutakawa) is known from BISH specimens to have been firs collected in Hawaii on Oahu in 1995 and is now spreading from plantings at the Agricultural Experiments Station in Kula, where it is sparingly naturalized and a pest for the station." (3)Category 4 weed on Lord Howe Island.- The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed. It must be prevented from spreading to adjoining property [it is perceived as a weed but impacts not known and impacted natural habitats undocumented; merits disturbance weed rating]

(1)http://www.answers.com/topic/metrosideros-kermadecensis (2)Evenhuis, N. L. and Eldredge, L. 2004. Bishop Museum Occassional Papers. 79 pg 25. (3)http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDFs/LHI_draft_plan_dec06.pdf

3.05

(1)Metrosideros excelsa Listed on the 'Declared weeds and invader plants: Category 3 plants' in Africa. [Declared Weeds & Alien Invader Plants are divided into three categories:
Category 1 Plants. This is the strictest category. These plants may not occur on any land or inland water surface other than in a biological control reserve. Except for the purposes of establishing a biological control reserve, one may not plant, maintain, multiply or propagate such plants, import or sell or acquire propagating material of such plants except with the written exception of the executive officer.
Category 2 Plants. These are plants with a commercial application and may may only be grown in demarcated areas (or biological control reserves). See the Government Gazette listed below for details relating to demarcated areas. Other provisions of category 1 apply.
Category 3 Plants. The regulations regarding these plants are the same as

(1)http://www.plantzafrica.com/miscell/aliens4.htm (2)http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/acc_num/200500008.html (3)http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/NativeWeeds.htm

4.01

No evidence of such structures.

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2449

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

"The forests of Raoul Island are mainly dominated by the Kermadec pohutukawa (Metrosideros kermadecensis W.R.B. Oliver) (Sykes 1969). Sykes (1969) reported that this is a favoured species by goats and in most areas observed on the island (before goat control) little or no young seedlings of this species were observed. As this is the main canopy tree, its disappearance over large parts of the island would obviously have resulted in drastic changes to the rest of the vegetation as well. ..."

http://www.issg.org/database/species/impact_info.asp?si=40&fr=1&sts=

4.05

No evidence

4.06

(1)This website lists 36 species of fungi to be associated with M. kermadecensis. Probably not - (2)"Pohutukawa are very hardy but they are prone to insect infestation which while they won't kill the tree they will make it unsightly. A small scale like bug called a chirmid makes its home on the under side of the leaf causing small yellow bumps on the surface. They are also susceptible to caterpillers which hole and notch the leaves both of these insects can be controlled with systemic insecticide which should be sprayed regularly through summer." [RISK TO METROSIDEROS POLYMORPHA UNKNOWN]

(1)http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/index.cfm (2)http://www.bonsaiforbeginners.com/pohutukawa-bonsai.html

4.07

No evidence

4.08

Probably not - an evergreen tree.

http://www.answers.com/topic/metrosideros-kermadecensis

4.09

(1)Exposure- full sun. (2)" Plant in humus rich well -drained soil in full sun."

(1)http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2449 (2)http://www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page8.htm

4.1

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun in a neutral to acid soil.

http://urbanjungle.uk.com/product.asp?productid=855

4.11

A tree.

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2449

4.12

No evidence

5.01

" … and is the dominant forest tree on Raoul Island, forming a 10–15 meter high canopy."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosideros_kermadecensis

5.02

5.03

5.04

6.01

No evidence.

6.02

Probably yes - (1)" …M. kermadecensis (pohutakawa) is known from BISH specimens to have been firs collected in Hawaii on Oahu in 1995 and is now spreading from plantings at the Agricultural Experiments Station in Kula, where it is sparingly naturalized and a pest for the station." (2)Listed as an invasive plant targeted for removal on Lord Howe Island. [The speceis is not known to spread vegetatively].

(1)Evenhuis, N. L. and Eldredge, L. 2004. Bishop Museum Occassional Papers. 79 pg 25. (2)http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDFs/LHI_draft_plan_dec06.pdf

6.03

Don’t know. The closely related M. excelsa forms natural hybrids with M. robusta.

6.04

Don’t know.

6.05

Probably not - from photo - no evidence that the flowers have any specialized adaptations for pollination.

http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html
/metrosideros_kermadecensis.htm

6.06

No evidence of spread by vegetative means.

6.07

" … and is the dominant forest tree on Raoul Island, forming a 10–15 meter high canopy." [no reference to growth rate]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosideros_kermadecensis

7.01

No evidence that the species grows in heavilty traffic areas.

7.02

The species is valued as a garden ornamental.

http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/7109/pohutu.htm

7.03

No evidence that the species is grown around seed crop fields. No evidence of plant parts being utilized in dry or cut flower industry.

7.04

"There is a very similar species from the Kermadec Islands called Metrosideros kermadecensis which is a popular garden ornamental because it tends to have some flowers most of the year round. This tree has shorter, rounder leaves.The fine seeds are rather like those of Leptospermum very fine, red hairlike seed that is easily dispersed by the wind. These seeds mature in 1 cm long seed capsules that gradually change colour from hairy whitish-gray to brown. They then split open to release the seed to the wind."

http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/7109/pohutu.htm

7.05

No evidence

7.06

No evidence

7.07

No evidence that the propagules have any means of attachment.

7.08

Probably not - no evidence that the speceis

8.01

Probably yes - relatively small wind dispersed seeds. "There is a very similar species from the Kermadec Islands called Metrosideros kermadecensis which is a popular garden ornamental because it tends to have some flowers most of the year round. This tree has shorter, rounder leaves.The fine seeds are rather like those of Leptospermum very fine, red hairlike seed that is easily dispersed by the wind. These seeds mature in 1 cm long seed capsules that gradually change colour from hairy whitish-gray to brown. They then split open to release the seed to the wind."

http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/7109/pohutu.htm

8.02

No evidene regarding seed bank. [probably no seed bank based on other Metrosideros]

8.03

No evidence regarding control by herbicides.

8.04

(1)" After flowering , seed sets prolifically. In young plants it is a good practice to prune these seed heads and discard them to encourage new growth." (2)"Kept pruned this makes an excellent conservatory or patio plant." [insufficient intensity of mutilation]

(1)http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2449 (2)http://www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page8.htm

8.05

Don’t know.