Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

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

-2

3.02

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

n=0

0

3.03

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

n=0

0

3.04

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

n=0

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

n

0

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=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

?

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

4.09

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

y=1, n=0

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

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

y

1

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

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

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

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-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

8.05

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

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

4

Notes

Source

1.01

(1) Introduced into the U.S. from central western Mexico around 1958 by the L.A. Arboretum. Bill Teague got a division of the plant from the Arboretum in 1966 & started propagating & distributing it to fellow collectors & nurserymen throughout southern California.

(1)http://www.endangeredspecies.com/Plants/Bamboo/Text/Names/Descriptions/O/OTAZ.htm [accessed 22 Feb. 2008]

1.02

1.03

2.01

In regards to the genus Otatea (1)A New World genus of subtropical or tropical pachymorph bamboos, Otatea consists of two known species. It is more drought resistant than most New World Bamboos and its haitat includes seasonally dry areas along the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Central America (2)Otatea ... comes from Mexico and Guatemala. Only two species asre known and these have very soft, fine leaves. As a tropical genus it is suited to containers or the conservatory, but is difficult to grow, even there.

(1)Meredith, T.J. 2001. Bamboo for Gardens. Timber Press, Portland Oregon. (2)Recht, C. and M.F. Wetterwald. 1992. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.

2.02

No computer analysis was performed on the climate data, therefore WRA protocol requires the score = 2

2.03

No, does not grow in 5 or more USDA hardiness zones (1)Minimum temperature requirements 22 degrees F, full sun (2)Cold Hardiness: Zone: 8(10 to 20 F) - 11(Above 40 F) … Drought Tolerant ... High Salt Tolerance … Tolerates Alkaline Soil (3)USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F) (4)Outdoors in USDA Zones 9 to 11

(1)http://www.americanbamboo.org/SpeciesSourceListPages/SpeciesTableO.html [accessed 2/21/08] (2)http://www.monrovia.com/plantinf.nsf/0/3857343B61B0BF3D8825684D007094F7 [accessed 2/22/08] (3)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54960/ [accessed 22 Feb. 2008] (4)http://www.pctgardens.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PTG&Product_Code=1337&Category_Code=TB4 [accessed 22 Feb. 2008]

2.04

(1)North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana. (2)Northeastern Mexico (3)This is a clumping bamboo that belongs to a group endemic to a large range of Central Mexico into South America. It's genus is from the Aztec Nahuatl name for "solid cane", otatl, which contains just three species. O. acuminata is found in the hot, humid lowlands of eastern Mexico.

(1)Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. http://www.kew.org/data/grasses-db.html. [accessed 22 Feb. 2008] (2)Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2006. GrassBase: Synonymy database (3)http://distinctivelybetter.com/plantinf.nsf/0/3857343B61B0BF3D8825684D007094F7 [accessed 25 Feb. 2008]

2.05

Species cultivated and distributed in Florida(1,2,4), Oregon (3,6), California(5,8,9), Arizona (7), Hawaii (10) and Texas (11)

(1)http://www.bambooweb.info/ [accessed 22 Feb. 2008] (2)A Bamboo Man 7810 SW 118 Street Miami, FL 33156 (3)Bamboo & Koi Garden 2115 S.W. Borland Road West Linn, OR 97068 (4)Bamboo Gardens 1200 Virginia Avenue Palm Harbor, FL 34683-4441 (5)Bamboo Giant 5601 Freedom Blvd Aptos, CA 95003 (6)Bamboo Guy Nursery PO Box 357 Beaver, OR 97108 (7)Bamboo Ranch Tucson, AZ 85745 (8)Fallen Oaks Bamboo P.O. Box 1231 Ramona, CA 92065 (9)Instant Jungle NorCal 503 West Railroad Ave. Cotati, CA 94931 (10)Pacific Tropical Gardens LLC 15-2874 Pahoa Village Road, PMB 9117 Pahoa, HI 96778 (11)Houston Bamboo Farm & Nursery 2525 Genoa Red-Bluff Pasadena, Texas 77505

3.01

No evidence

3.02

3.03

3.04

3.05

Otatea has only two species and neither is known to be weedy (1)A New World genus of subtropical or tropical pachymorph bamboos, Otatea consists of two known species. It is more drought resistant than most New World Bamboos and its haitat includes seasonally dry areas along the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Central America (2)Otatea ... comes from Mexico and Guatemala. Only two species asre known and these have very soft, fine leaves. As a tropical genus it is suited to containers or the conservatory, but is difficult to grow, even there

(1)Meredith, T.J. 2001. Bamboo for Gardens. Timber Press, Portland Oregon. (2)Recht, C. and M.F. Wetterwald. 1992. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.

4.01

(1)Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms erect; 200–1000 cm long; 10–25 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement three; with subequal branches. Culm-sheaths yellow, or green, or purple; pilose; hairy above; with appressed hairs; setose on shoulders; shoulders with 3 mm long hairs. Culm-sheath blade linear; as wide as sheath at base; 6–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Leaves 4–7 per branch. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; deciduous; 0.5–3 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.6 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 6–15 cm long; 5–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless throughout, or except near base.

(1)Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. http://www.kew.org/data/grasses-db.html. [accessed 22 Feb. 2008]

4.02

There is no documentation in the horticultural literature suggesting this species is allelopathic

4.03

No, the genus Otatea does not appear on the USDA comprehensive list of parasitic plant gernera (1)

(1)http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/federal_noxious_weeds.shtml [accessed 2/21/08]

4.04

4.05

4.06

4.07

Unknown, the following was the sole reference to suggest this taxa has allergenic properties and it is not a primary document (1)Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction

(1)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54960/ [accessed 22 Feb. 2008]

4.08

4.09

4.10

(1)6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) (2)Somewhat unusually, a few bamboos, such as Otatea acuminata ssp. Aztecorum, reportedly prefer a slightly alkaline soil (3)pH Range: 6.5 to 8 Soil Range: Sandy Loam to Clay Loam

(1)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54960/ [accessed 22 Feb. 2008] (2)Meredith, T.J. 2001. Bamboo for Gardens. Timber Press, Portland Oregon. (3)http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_68ad-3.html [accessed 2/25/08]

4.11

4.12

5.01

Terrestrial

5.02

In Poaceae

5.03

No, in the family Poaceae

5.04

No, following WRA protocol which states "Answer ‘no’ for annual taxa and those with rhizomes/stolons"(1)A clumping bamboo - rhizomes will not run sideways.

(1)http://www.endangeredspecies.com/Plants/Bamboo/Text/Names/Descriptions/O/OTAZ.htm [accessed 02/22/08]

6.01

6.02

(1)This clump of Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum … has flowered and set seed … Some of the seeds have fallen to the ground, germinated and generated new seedlings, as seen on the lower left.(2)An efficient protocol has been developed for the in vitro propagation of Mexican Weeping Bamboo through somatic embryogenesis from zygotic embryo explants. Mature seeds and excised embryos were cultured in the light or in the dark on both Murashige and Skoog's and Gamborg's B5 basal media with various supplements ... More than 95% of the germinating somatic embryos developed shoots and roots, and were transferred to soil with 85% success.

(1)Meredith, T.J. 2001. Bamboo for Gardens. Timber Press, Portland Oregon. (2)Woods, S.H., G.C. Phillips, J.E. Woods and G.B. Collins. 2004. Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from zygotic embryo explants in mexican weeping bamboo, Otatea acuminata aztecorum. Plant Cell Reports. 11(5-6): 257-261.

6.03

6.04

6.05

Following WRA protocol, unless a specialist pollinator is found for the taxa in question, all fern, grass, and sedge taxa can be assumed to have generalist pollinators. Species of the Poaceae are generally wind-pollinated. (1)The reduced flowers are anemophilous…The feathery stigmas are well adapted to catching the wind-borne pollen.

(1)Zomlefer, W. B. 1994. Guide to the Flowering Plant Families. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill, NC.

6.06

Plant has rhizomes that allow it to reproduce by division (1)Clump bamboos (such as Otatea) have underground stems that sprout vertical shoots much closer to their parent plants, glowing slowly outward. (2)Fast-growing to 15 to 20 feet tall, clumping. (propigate via) Division

(1)http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_68ad-3.html [accessed 2/25/08]. (2)http://distinctivelybetter.com/plantinf.nsf/0/3857343B61B0BF3D8825684D007094F7 [accessed 2/25/08]

6.07

7.01

7.02

This taxa has a number of traits that make it attractive to the horticultural industry. Some positive descriptions typical of the types of reviews this taxa recieves follow. (1) Just because of its very attractive appearance this plant is one of the great Bamboos. Its clumping habit with solid culms bending over from the weight of finely divided drooping leaves gives a pleasing feathery fountain-like effect. (2)An interesting bamboo from Mexico with a full bodied habit and long narrow drooping leaves. It has a weeping form and light green color. (3)An exceptional fluffy plant that's ideal for modern architecture to contrast with its rigid geometry. Outstanding soft background for high profile plants, water features and art. Ideal screen or hedge, good in sideyards to block neighbors but not air. Valuable textural contrast for large leaf tropical plantings that lends a most unique exotic look.

(1)http://www.endangeredspecies.com/Plants/Bamboo/Text/Names/Descriptions/O/OTAZ.htm [accessed 22 Feb. 2008] (2)http://www.bamboodirect.com/bamboo/catalog/tallshrubctlg.html [accessed 25 Feb. 2008] (3)http://distinctivelybetter.com/plantinf.nsf/0/3857343B61B0BF3D8825684D007094F7 [accessed 25 Feb. 2008]

7.03

7.04

7.05

7.06

7.07

7.08

8.01

8.02

8.03

8.04

8.05