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

Turnera ulmifolia L. Turnera trioniflora (yellow alder, Bahamian buttercup)

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

y

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

n

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

y

3.02

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

n=0

y

3.03

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

n=0

y

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

y

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

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

y

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

y

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

1

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

n

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

n

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

No evidence

1.02

(1)In Hawai`i, "naturalized in dry, disturbed areas, 30-190 m. In Fiji, "naturalized and locally abundant especially in coconut plantations near sea level (2)Turnera ulmifolia is a weedy shrub common in disturbed habitats on the Island of Jamaica.

(1)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm (2)http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:dmEj-EVt7XIJ:www.esb.utexas.edu/philjs/News/PDF/EER2000.pdf+Turnera+ulmifolia&hl=en

1.03

No evidence

2.01

(1)Country of Origin: tropical America (2)Native range: Florida, the West Indies and Tropical America; widely planted as an ornamental and naturalized in the tropics.

(1)http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/acc_num/198500266.html (2)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm

2.02

2.03

(1)Hardiness: 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) (2)Salt tolerance high (3)Most specimens < 600m elevation

(1)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53526/ (2)http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu/FHLC/Inv/B.htm (3)http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_vast

2.04

(1)Country of Origin: tropical America (2)Native range: Florida, the West Indies and Tropical America; widely planted as an ornamental and naturalized in the tropics.

(1)http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/acc_num/198500266.html (2)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm

2.05

In Hawai`i, "naturalized in dry, disturbed areas, 30-190 m. In Fiji, "naturalized and locally abundant especially in coconut plantations near sea level. Introduced to several other Pacific Island like Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati.

http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm

3.01

(1)'… widely planted as an ornamental and naturalized in the tropics. … In Hawai`i, "naturalized in dry, disturbed areas, 30-190 m. In Fiji, "naturalized and locally abundant especially in coconut plantations near sea level.' (2)Turnera ulmifolia is a weedy shrub common in disturbed habitats on the Island of Jamaica.

(1)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm (2)http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:dmEj-EVt7XIJ:www.esb.utexas.edu/philjs/News/PDF/EER2000.pdf+Turnera+ulmifolia&hl=en

3.02

(1)roadside (=disturbance) weed (2)Alder seedlings often germinate near the plants and can become weeds in the landscape.

(1) Bentley, B. L. (1979) Heterostyly in Turnera trioniflora, a roadside weed of the Amazon Basin. Biotropica, 1979, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 11-17 (2)http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/TURULMA.PDF

3.03

(1) "Turnera ulmifolia L., a Jamaican weed" (2)naturalized and locally abundant especially in coconut plantations near sea level (Smith 1981) (3)Common weed in Puerto Rico and El Salvador (4)Western Australian Prohibited List

(1)Schappert, P. J. , Shore, J. S. (1999) Cyanogenesis, herbivory and plant defense in Turnera ulmifolia on Jamaica. Écoscience, 1999, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 511-520, 2 pp. of ref. (2)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm (3)Holm et al. 1979. Geographic Atlas of World Weeds. (4)http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/global/australia/san.html

3.04

No evidence

3.05

Turnera subulata is considered a weed

Kumar, M. S. B. , Rahi Das , Vinesh, R. (2000) Turnera subulata J.E. SM. (Turneraceae) - a fast naturalising weed in Indian Subcontinent. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany, 2000, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 300-302, 3 ref.

4.01

No evidence

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

Don’t know

4.05

No evidence

4.06

Turnera ulmifolia
Aecidium turnerae: Colombia - 37597, 37824; Peru - 8523
Asterina turneracearum: Dominican Republic - 37308
Asterina turnerae: Peru - 37308, 38694
Bagnisiella eutypoides: Jamaica - 8514
Cercospora turneae: Puerto Rico - 5824; Virgin Islands - 5824
Cercospora turnerae: Cuba - 8361; FL - 1; West Indies - 786, 8514
Eutypa eutypoides: Puerto Rico - 5824; Virgin Islands - 5824
Pseudocercospora turnerae: Brazil - 37584. The above species were listed to ba associated with T. ulmifolia. No evidence that either of the above are recognized pathogens.

http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/all/FindRecOneFungusFrame.cfm

4.07

No evidence

4.08

evergreen foliage.

http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53526/

4.09

(1)They like intermediate temperatures of 60 to 85 degrees, but can take higher day time temperatures if shaded from hot afternoon sun. In the greenhouse, we grow them under 25% shade all year long. (2)It grows well in full sun or partial shade. (3) Light Requirements:Full Sun/Partial Shade

(1)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week045.shtml (2)http://www.greenbeam.com/features/plant011402.stm (3)http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu/FHLC/Inv/B.htm

4.1

(1)Soil pH requirements: 5.1 to 5.5 (strongly acidic) 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 alkaline) (2)Soil tolerances: acidic; alkaline; sand; loam; clay;

(1) http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53526/ (2)http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/TURULMA.PDF

4.11

No evidence

4.12

No evidence

5.01

Turneraceae

5.02

Turneraceae

5.03

Turneraceae

5.04

Turnera ulmifolia is a perennial, dense, compact shrub that reaches 2½ feet in height.

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week045.shtml

6.01

No evidence

6.02

(1)Yellow alder is propagated by seed, cuttings or division (2)Propagation From herbaceous stem cuttings From softwood cuttings From semi- hardwood cuttings From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; direct sow after last frost By air layering.

(1)http://www.greenbeam.com/features/plant011402.stm (2)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53526/

6.03

Interspecific crosses between 2 species of the Turnera ulmifolia complex with yellow flowers were conducted. Two hybrids were obtained: T. krapovickasii (K4) x T. ulmifolia (U), 2n=4x=20 and T. ulmifolia (U) x T. krapovickasii (K5), 2n=5x=25.

Fernández, A. , Solís Neffa, V. G. 2004.Genomic relationships between Turnera krapovickasii (2x, 4x) and T. ulmifolia (6x) (Turneraceae, Turnera).Caryologia, , Vol. 57, No. 1, pp. 45-51

6.04

AB: (2) Turnera ulmifolia is a polymorphic complex native to the New World tropics which is composed of heterostylous and homostylous forms. The distylous varieties elegans, intermedia and surinamensis exhibit the typical expression of heterostyly. Floral dimorphism is associated with a strong self-incompatibility system and size dimorphism of pollen. Approximately equal representation of floral morphs occurred in 24 out of 28 New World populations surveyed. In 9 out of 10 populations studied, there were no significant differences between the seed fecundity of floral forms. Populations of the homostylous variety angustifolia are self-compatible and produce monomorphic pollen. In contrast to the majority of heterostylous species, some varieties of T. ulmifolia are ruderal weeds. Varieties angustifolia, elegans and intermedia are also used as garden ornamentals,

(2) Barrett, S. C. H. (1978) Heterostyly in a tropical weed: the reproductive biology of the Turnera ulmifolia complex (Turneraceae). Canadian Journal of Botany, 1978, Vol. 56, No. 15, pp. 1713-1725, 38 ref.

6.05

(1)Photo of flower (2)This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds

(1)http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/p14/pages/turnera-ulmifolia-1.htm (2)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53526/

6.06

(1)Yellow alder is propagated by seed, cuttings or division (2)Propagation From herbaceous stem cuttings From softwood cuttings From semi- hardwood cuttings From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; direct sow after last frost By air layering.

(1)http://www.greenbeam.com/features/plant011402.stm (2)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53526/

6.07

In Oklahoma, it can be grown outside in containers as an annual.

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week045.shtml

7.01

No evidence that the propagules have any means of attachment.

7.02

an ornamental plant.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Turnera+ulmifolia

7.03

relatively large seeds. 'Capsules ovoid, 7-8 mm long. Seeds narrowly obovoid, slightly curved, ca 2.5 mm long.'

http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm

7.04

no evidence

7.05

no evidence

7.06

no evidence

7.07

(1)Seeds reported to be carried by ants (2) '...relatively little gene flow occurs among populations as a result of theirpatchy distribution, limits on distance of seed dispersal by ants,….'

(1)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm (2)http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:dmEj-EVt7XIJ:www.esb.utexas.edu/philjs/News/PDF/EER2000.pdf+Turnera+ulmifolia&hl=en

7.08

No evidence of ingestion

8.01

(1)relatively large seeds. 'Capsules ovoid, 7-8 mm long. Seeds narrowly obovoid, slightly curved, ca 2.5 mm long.' (2)Roughly 1/2 dozen seeds per capsule [based on photo]

(1)http://www.hear.org/pier/species/turnera_ulmifolia.htm (2)http://irrecenvhort.ifas.ufl.edu/Invasiveplants/Species/Turnera-ulmifolia.pdf

8.02

No evidence regarding seedbank.

8.03

no evidence

8.04

cut stems back when they become leggy to force new branches close to the ground. Freezing temperatures kill plants to the ground, but warm spring weather brings them back to life

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/TURULMA.PDF

8.05

Don’t know