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

Serissa japonica (Thunb.) Thunb. Serissa foetida (tree of a thousand stars, snow rose)

Answer

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

y

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

1

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

1

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

y

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

n

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

y

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

y

4.1

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

y=1, n=0

y

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

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

n

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

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

n

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

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

y

8.05

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

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

-10

Notes

Source

1.01

An early introduction into Japan (?) [implies cultivation as bonsai for many centuries; cultivated plants appear not to make fruit]

Mabberly, D.J. 1998. The Plant Book. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

1.02

No evidence

1.03

No evidence

2.01

(1)Native to northern China. (2)Native: ASIA-TEMPERATE China: China Eastern Asia: Japan - Kyushu [n.w. (natzd.?)] ASIA-TROPICAL Indo-China: Indochina (3)Native to China, Japan and southern Asia.

(1)http://www.bonsaifavorites.com/one-of-a-kind/flowering-white-serissa-tree-of-453169722.html (2)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Serissa+japonica (3)http://www.bonsaicenter.com/serissa.htm

2.02

[mainly warm temperate]

2.03

(1) USDA Zones 7 - 11. (2) Hardiness Range 8A to 9B [conflicting ranges]

(1) http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm (2) Horticopia A-Z.Horticopia, Inc., Purcellville, VA. ISBN 1-887215-07-7.

2.04

(1)Native to northern China. (2)Native: ASIA-TEMPERATE China: China Eastern Asia: Japan - Kyushu [n.w. (natzd.?)] ASIA-TROPICAL Indo-China: Indochina (3)Native to China, Japan and southern Asia. [but mainly warm temperate]

(1)http://www.bonsaifavorites.com/one-of-a-kind/flowering-white-serissa-tree-of-453169722.html (2)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Serissa+japonica (3)http://www.bonsaicenter.com/serissa.htm

2.05

(1)cultivated in temperate regions (2)Probably the two most common bonsai purchased by the casual bonsai buyer in America are Juniperus and Serissa.

(1)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Serissa+japonica (2)http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/serissa.html

3.01

No evidence

3.02

No evidence

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

The genus Serissa contains just this one species.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm

4.01

No evidence

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

Deer resistant - no

http://www.crescentbloom.com/Plants/Specimen/SE/Serissa%20foetida.htm

4.05

Livestock poison no

http://www.crescentbloom.com/Plants/Specimen/SE/Serissa%20foetida.htm

4.06

Quarantine pests -- Sympiezomias velatus Chevrolet (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Rhizoecus hibisci Kawai & Takagi (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) Sarasinula plebeia (Fischer) (Veronicellidae)
Succinea horticola Reinhart (Succineidae), Phomopsis sp. (Fungi Imperfecti, Coelomycetes)

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/Serissa2003.PDF

4.07

Internal poison no Dermatologic poison no

http://www.crescentbloom.com/Plants/Specimen/SE/Serissa%20foetida.htm

4.08

Probably not - Serissa is a diminutive evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub

http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm

4.09

(1)Interior : much light but not the direct light of the sun. Outside : semi-shade. To avoid the draughts. (2)Serissa does well in partial shade

(1)http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://
perso.wanadoo.fr/michel.viala/frjb/Fiches%2520Entretien/Serissa-Foetida.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3DSerissa%2Bfoetida%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8 (2)http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm

4.1

Soil Condition: Loamy, sandy, clay, acidic, neutral, slightly alkaline

Horticopia A-Z.Horticopia, Inc., Purcellville, VA. ISBN 1-887215-07-7.

4.11

No evidence

4.12

No evidence

5.01

Life form: Terrestrial

http://www.crescentbloom.com/Plants/Specimen/SE/Serissa%20foetida.htm

5.02

Rubiaceae

5.03

Rubiaceae

5.04

Serissa is a diminutive evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm

6.01

No evidence

6.02

Propagation: Relatively easy by cuttings [could not find any evidence of seed production]

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Rubiaceae/Serissa_Thousand_Stars.html

6.03

Monotypic genus

6.04

No evidence

6.05

The flowers are funnel-shaped and mostly white in colour. [insect syndrome based on photo]

http://www.bonsaisite.com/serissa.html

6.06

No evidence of vegetative spread in the wild.

6.07

Don’t know [no evidence of seed production]

7.01

No evidence regarding propagules.

7.02

(1)Ornamental and bonsai plant. (2)Serissa is one of the most popular of all bonsai subjects

(1)http://www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/product822.html?AID=10273724&PID=961619 (2)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Serissa+japonica (2)http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm

7.03

No evidence regarding propagules.

7.04

Fruits small, less than 5 mm long, opening by means of an operculum, with 2 pyrenes.

http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/Bulletin/Bull31/PDF%20files/11.Non-indigenous%20Rubiaceae.pdf

7.05

Fruits small, less than 5 mm long, opening by means of an operculum, with 2 pyrenes.

http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/Bulletin/Bull31/PDF%20files/11.Non-indigenous%20Rubiaceae.pdf

7.06

(1) Fruit Composition: Fleshy
(2) Fruits small, less than 5 mm long, opening by means of an operculum, with 2 pyrenes. [but no evidence of seed production in cultivated plants]

(1) Horticopia A-Z.Horticopia, Inc., Purcellville, VA. ISBN 1-887215-07-7.
(2) http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/Bulletin/Bull31/PDF%20files/11.Non-indigenous%20Rubiaceae.pdf

7.07

Fruits small, less than 5 mm long, opening by means of an operculum, with 2 pyrenes.

http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/Bulletin/Bull31/PDF%20files/11.Non-indigenous%20Rubiaceae.pdf

7.08

[may be bird dispersed, but no evidence of seed production in cultivated plants]

8.01

"Flowers solitary or few together terminal on abbreviated short shoots; Fruits small, less than 5 mm long, opening by means of an operculum, with 2 pyrenes." [few seeds per fruit]

http://www.dnp.go.th/Botany/Bulletin/Bull31/PDF%20files/11.Non-indigenous%20Rubiaceae.pdf

8.02

No evidence regarding seed bank.

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

(1)Serissa can get straggly after a few years unless it is pruned regularly. Prune after flowering to keep its fine dense form, and deadhead spent flowers to increase the blooming period. (2)Responds well to shearing

(1)http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/seri_foe.cfm (2)http://www.almostedenplants.com/mall/Doublewhiteserissa.asp

8.05

Don’t know