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

Posoqueria latifolia [Solena latifolia]; monkey apple

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

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

n

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

4.1

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

y=1, n=0

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

n

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

y

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

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

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

y

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

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

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:

-2

Source

Notes

1.01

no evidence

1.02

no evidence

1.03

no evidence

2.01

Bose, T.K., P. Das, and G.G. Maiti (1998) Trees of the world. Volume One. Regional Plant Resource Center, Orissa, India. 506 pp. p.376

Distribution: A native of tropical America, commonin Mexico and West Indies; also grown in tropical gardens including India.

2.02

2.03

mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/vast.html

most specimens from low elevation but a couple from > 1000 m

2.04

Bose, T.K., P. Das, and G.G. Maiti (1998) Trees of the world. Volume One. Regional Plant Resource Center, Orissa, India. 506 pp. p.376

Distribution: A native of tropical America, commonin Mexico and West Indies; also grown in tropical gardens including India.

2.05

no evidence

3.01

no evidence

3.02

no evidence

3.03

no evidence

3.04

no evidence

3.05

no evidence

4.01

Bose, T.K., P. Das, and G.G. Maiti (1998) Trees of the world. Volume One. Regional Plant Resource Center, Orissa, India. 506 pp. p.376

no description of these traits

4.02

no evidence

4.03

no evidence

4.04

no evidence

4.05

no evidence

4.06

no evidence

4.07

no evidence

4.08

no evidence [small evergreen tree]

4.09

no evidence

4.1

no evidence

4.11

Bose, T.K., P. Das, and G.G. Maiti (1998) Trees of the world. Volume One. Regional Plant Resource Center, Orissa, India. 506 pp. p.376

a large evergreen shrub or small tree

4.12

no evidence

5.01

terrestrial

5.02

a large evergreen shrub or small tree; Rubiaceae

5.03

no evidence

5.04

a large evergreen shrub or small tree

6.01

no evidence

6.02

http://www.organicfarm.net/seeds.html

seeds are for sale

6.03

no evidence

6.04

Posoqueria latifolia (Boca de Vieja, Guayaba de Mico, Fruta de Mono). In: Janzen, D. H., (ed.). Costa Rican Natural History: Univ. Chicago Press; 1983; pp. 307-308.

"The fruit/flower ratio is low, as is the case with other self-imcompatible trees."

6.05

(1) Puff, C.; Igersheim, A.; Buchner, R.; Rohrhofer, U. (1995) The united stamens of Rubiaceae. Morphology, anatomy; their role in pollination ecology. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 1995, Vol.82, No.3, pp.357-382, 29 ref.
(2) Posoqueria latifolia (Boca de Vieja, Guayaba de Mico, Fruta de Mono). In: Janzen, D. H., (ed.). Costa Rican Natural History: Univ. Chicago Press; 1983; pp. 307-308. (3)http://www.nybg.org/bsci/res/POSOQUERIA.HTML

(1) AB: "Based on morphological and anatomical investigations of selected species of Argostemma , Steenisia , Strumpfia , Acranthera , Antherostele , and Posoqueria , and reports in the literature about several other taxa, the paper surveys how unions in the androecium of Rubiaceae can come about. "; "Posoqueria has an anther head, which is held together only by agglutinated, sterile appendages or extensions of the thecae that are produced both basally and apically. The unstable nature of the anther complex is a prerequisite for proper function of Posoqueria 's unique 'catapult mechanism' of the stamens, by which pollen is hurled at the pollinator. "
(2) "the flower exhibit fairly typical characteristics of moth pollination syndrome(white, sweet-ordored flowers start open at night)"; "I have seen hawkmoths visit the flowers."; "Ubiquitous Trigonabees frequently visit open flowers forpollen leftovers." [with stigma only extend to about half the length of the very narrow(4mm diam.) and long (13-18cm) corolla t

6.06

no evidence

6.07

no evidence

7.01

large fruit

7.02

Bose, T.K., P. Das, and G.G. Maiti (1998) Trees of the world. Volume One. Regional Plant Resource Center, Orissa, India. 506 pp. p.376

"cultivated in gardensfor its fragrant flowers"

7.03

large fruit

7.04

large fruit

7.05

Posoqueria latifolia (Boca de Vieja, Guayaba de Mico, Fruta de Mono). In: Janzen, D. H., (ed.). Costa Rican Natural History: Univ. Chicago Press; 1983; pp. 307-308.

"commonly found along streams and riverbanks."; "The seeds are about 1.5 by 2 cm, weigh 0.5-1.4 gram, and are very hard but covered with a thin soft seed coat. [should float on water] "

7.06

Posoqueria latifolia (Boca de Vieja, Guayaba de Mico, Fruta de Mono). In: Janzen, D. H., (ed.). Costa Rican Natural History: Univ. Chicago Press; 1983; pp. 307-308.

"The seeds are about 1.5 by 2 cm, weigh 0.5-1.4 gram, and are very hard but covered with a thin soft seed coat. A captive, but well-fed, parrot happily tore open the fruit and gnawed and ingested the seed coats before dropping the seeds. Fruits and seeds are probably dispersed by large frugivore birds, but I have yet to observe this."

7.07

(1)Posoqueria latifolia (Boca de Vieja, Guayaba de Mico, Fruta de Mono). In: Janzen, D. H., (ed.). Costa Rican Natural History: Univ. Chicago Press; 1983; pp. 307-308 (2)http://www.quepolandia.com/site/article.asp?65

(1)"The seeds are about 1.5 by 2 cm, weigh 0.5-1.4 gram, and are very hard but covered with a thin soft seed coat. A captive, but well-fed, parrot happily tore open the fruit and gnawed and ingested the seed coats before dropping the seeds. Fruits and seeds are probably dispersed by large frugivore birds, but I have yet to observe this." [large fleshy fruits probably also attract frugivorous mammals] (2) providing food and habitat for the Titi Monkeys

7.08

no evidence [would need to be a large bird]

8.01

http://digitalis.mobot.org/mrsid/bin/mosid/mosid.pl

large seeded fruit

8.02

no evidence

8.03

no evidence

8.04

no evidence

8.05

no evidence