Page 6, The PALMETTO, Fall 1993 Florida's Most Invasive

Florida's Exotic Pest Council Cupaniopsis anacardioides (carrotwood) Bauhinia variegata (orchid ) (EPPC) was formed in 1984 by Dioscorea bulbifera (air potato) Bischofia javanica (bischofia) environmental professionals to gather microcarpa (= F. nitida; = F. retusa var. Callisia fragrans (inch plant, spironema) information on the impact of nitida) (laurel fig) Calophyllum calaba (= C. inophyllum of au- imported that escape into the Jasminum dichotomum (Gold Coast jasmine) thors) (mast wood; Alexandrian laurel) Lantana camara (lantana) Casuarina cunninghamiana (Australian pine) wild and reproduce at the expense of Cereus undatus (night-blooming cereus) Florida's natural plants and Cestrum diu mum (day jasmine) ecosystems. The Council Cryptostegia grandiflora (Palay rubber vine) is concerned with: Dalbergia sissoo (Indian dalbergia, sissoo) • the need to maintain biodiversity Dichrostachys cinerea ("aroma" in Cuba) Enterolobium contortislilquum (ear-pod tree) and the impacts that exotic pest Epipremnum pinnatum cv. Aureum (pothos) plants have on diversity in impacted Eugenia uniflora (Surinam cherry) systems. Ficus altissima ( tree) • the impact of exotic plants on the Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) integrity of native plant community Ficus elastica ( rubber tree) composition and function. Flacourtia indica (governor's plum) virosa (flueggea) • habitat losses due to exotic plant Hibiscus tiliaceus (mahoe) infestations. Hyptage benghalensis (hyptage) • the impacts of exotic plants on Imperata brasiliensis (cogon grass) endangered species primarily due to Imperata cylindrica (cogon grass) habitat loss and alteration. Jasminum f1uminense Oasmine) (Arabian jasmine) • the need to prevent habitat loss Leucaena leucocephala (lead tree) and alteration by comprehensive Ligustrum sinense (privet) management for exotic pest plants. Lygodium japonicum (Japanese climbing fern) • the socio-economic impacts of Macfadyena unguis-cati (eat's claw) Manilkara zapota (sapodilla) exotic pest plants (e.g., increased Melinis minutiflora (molasses grass) wildfire intensity and frequency in Japanese honeysuckle Merremia tuberosa (wood rose) Melaleuca). Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) Murraya paniculata (orange-jasmine) • changes in the seriousness of pest Lygodium microphyllum (Old World climbing Nephrolepis multiflora (Asian sword fern) plants and identification of the worst fern) Ochrosia parviflora (= 0. elliptica) (kopsia) Oeceoclades maculata (ground orchid) problems; Melaleuca quinquenervia (melaleuca) Melia azedarach (Chinaberry) Oryza rufipogon (red rice) • informing and educating resource Mimosa pigra (catclaw mimosa) Paspalum notatum (bahia grass) managers about which species de• Neyraudia reynaudiana (Burma reed; cane Pennisetum purpureum (Napier grass) serve to be monitored, and helping grass) Pittosporum pentandrum (pittosporum) managers set priorities for manage• Paederia foetida (skunk vine) Pouteria campechiana (canistel) Panicum repens (torpedo grass) Psidium gujava (guava) ment. Psidium littorale (= P. cattleianum) (strawberry The EPPC defines an "exotic" as an Pueraria montana (= P. lobata) (kudzu) Rhodomyrtus tomentosus (downy myrtle) guava) alien organism, or one brought from Sapium sebiferum (popcorn tree; Chinese Rhoeo spathacea (= R. discolor) (oyster plant) the part of the world where it was tallow tree) Sansevieria hyacinthoides (= S. trifasciata) (bowstring hemp) native, either purposefully or acciden• var. sericea (= S. frutescens; = S. sericea) (scaevola; half-) Solanum torvum (turkey ) tally; it then escaped into the wild in Schefflera actinophylla (= Brassaia actino• Syngonium podophyllum (arrowhead vine) Florida where it reproduces either phylla) (schefflera) Syzygium cumini Oambolan; Java plum) sexually or asexually. Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper) Syzygium jambos (rose apple) They define "native" as a species Solanum viarum (tropical soda apple) Tectaria incisa (incised halberd fern) that occurred in Florida at the time of and these aquatic species: European contact or the 1500s. Eichomia crassipes (water hyacinth) Hydrilla verticillata (hydrilla) "Invasive" species are divided into Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach) three categories. Category I includes Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce) species that are widespread in Florida Category II species are those that and have an established potential to are localized but have a rapidly ex• invade and disrupt native plant com• panding population, or that have munities. The EPPC, as of August, shown a potential to invade and 1993, has included 33 species in Cate• disrupt native vegetation in other gory I: areas, or in other countries with cli• Abrus precatorius (rosary ) Acacia auriculiformis (earleaf acacia) mates similar to Florida. Category II Ardisia elliptica (= A. humilis) (shoebutton includes 64 species: ardisia) Adenanthera pavonina (red sandalwood) Casuarina equisetifolia (= C. litorea) (Australian Agave sisalana (sisal hemp) pine) Albizia lebbeck (woman's tongue) Casuarina glauca (suckering Australian pine) Antigonon (coral vine) Cinnamomum camphora (camphor-tree) Asparagus densiflorus (asparagus fern) Wedelia Colubrina asiatica (lather ) Asystasia gangetica (Ganges primrose) The PALMETTO, Fall 1993, Page 7

Terminalia catappa (tropical almond) Thespesia populnea (seaside mahoe) The Plant from Hell Triphasia trifoliata (lime berry) by Naney C. Coile Wedelia trilobata (wedelia) The earliest record in Florida of and these aquatic species: Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed) tropical soda apple (Solanum viarllln Colocasia esculenta (taro) Duna!), another pest plant, is from Hygrophila polysperma (green hygro) Glades County in 1988. David Hall Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian water-milfoil) (KBN Engineering) believes that Category III species are those that Solamlln viamm may have been in are widespread and can form dense, Florida since 1981 or 1982, but in the mono typic populations, but primarily short time since its arrival it may on disturbed sites such as roadsides, have infested over 150,000 acres. It agricultural lands, and canal embank• has become the dominant vegetation ments: in vast areas of the pastures in Achyranthes indica (Devil's horsewhip) Glades, Hendry, and Highlands in terminal clusters. Immature Brachiaria mutica (Para grass) counties. Cassia coluteoides (= Senna pendula) (clim bing are pale green with dark green vein• Soda apple is native to Argentina cassia) ing; looking like a small striped wa• and Brazil. The plant is prickly, as Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle) termelon. Mature fruits are yellowish, Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) are many other Solanum spp. Its Dactyloctenium aegyptium (crowfoot grass) leathery-skinned, and about 11/2 inch• appellation - the plant from hell • es (4 cm) across, are numerous, Eremochloa ophiuroides (centipede grass) refers to its presence near Devils Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Murray red gum) flat, bitter, and mucilaginous. Garden in Hendry County, or per• Furcraea cabuya (Central American sisal) The Florida Department of Agricul• Hyparrhenia rufa Uaragua) haps to the similarity of its common ture has issued a notice that this Indigofera spicata (creeping indigo) name, soda apple, to its name "Sod• plant will be listed as a noxious Kalanchoe pinnata (life plant) om apple" in British-speaking areas Mucuna pruriens (cow itch) (Sodom is the biblical city noted for weed, because it displaces native Nephrolepis hirsutula cv. superba (petticoat plants as well as forage plants, which fern) its wickedness). Solanum viamm is an herbaceous will make it illegal to buy, sell, or Panicum maximum (Guinea grass) move the plant. Rhynchelytrum repens (Natal grass) perennial that may reach six feet (2 Ricinus communis (castor bean) m) in height. The stems have hooked Nmzc1j Coile, Ph.D., is a botanist with Rottboellia cochinchinensis (= R. exaltata) (itch grass) prickles, while the leaf blades and Flori£fa's Department of AgriClilture and Russelia equisetiformis (firecracker plant) petioles have 3/4-inch (2 cm) long, Consumer Services, Division of Plant Selaginel/a wil/denovii (peacock fern) rigid prickles. The are white Industry. Sesbania emerus (= S. exaltata) (bequilla) Solanum diphyl/um (solanum) Solanum tampicense (Tampico soda apple) Spathodea campanulata (African tulip tree) Spermacoce verticil/ata (sensu Herndon, not sensu Wunderlin) (spermacoce) Sporobolus jacquemontii (smut grass) Stenotaphrum secundatum (St. Augustine grass) Urena lobata (Caesar's weed) Zebrina pendula (zebrina) The EPPC wants reports of occur• rences of exotic plant species outside of cultivated specimens. If you ob• serve exotic plant species that appear to be spreading into natural areas, please relay that information to Bob Doren, EPPC Chairman, Everglades National Park Research Center, 305/ • WILLIAM F BISSETT 242-7800. f LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ljL REG # 510 f.

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