INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN THE CARIBBEAN |
WHAT ARE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES ?
Invasive Plants are those plants that grows quickly, thriving outside their natural range the plant will grow aggressively displacing the habitats of other plants. Alien plants take over the areas with abundant sunlight and use up nutrients essential for other plants. They can also deplete oxygen in the water causing a hypoxic environment that suffocates other marine life. |
![]() Scientific Name: Alocasia macrorrhizos Common Name: giant taro, Egyptian lily Introduction and Spread: Ornamental plant, food crop, and animal feed Environmental Requirements: cultivated lands, waste places, old gardens Habitat: humid tropical and subtropical climates Dispersal: Seeds, corms tubers and root suckers Environmental Impact: Displacement of native vegetation Countries Affected: Puerto Rico, Cuba Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/4220 |
![]() Scientific Name: Melaleuca quinquenervia
Common Name: punk tree, paper bark tree, bottlebrush tree Introduction and Spread: ornamental, revegetation, and agroforestry Habitat: along streams, fringing tidal estuaries and frequently forms pure stands in freshwater swamps Environmental Requirements: warm sub-humid and humid climates Dispersal: seeds Environmental Impact: displaces native plants and animals, alters the hydrology of wetlands and creates fire hazards Countries Affected: Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Bahamas Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/34348 |
![]() Scientific Name: Alpinia purpurata
Common Name: red ginger, ginger lily Introduction and Spread: Ornamental plant and cut flower plant Environmental Requirements: moist areas, warm temperatures and high precipitation Dispersal: Seeds and rhizome division Environmental Impact: Displacement of native vegetation Countries Affected: Cuba Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/4377 |
Scientific Name: Jasminum fluminense Vell
Common Name: Brazilian jasmine Introduction and Spread: Ornamental plant Environmental Requirements: pastures, riverbanks, agricultural fields Habitat: monsoon climate Dispersal: seeds and vegetatively by cuttings and secondary stems. Environmental Impact: displacing native species Countries Affected: Dominican Republic, Cuba Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/115014 |
![]() Scientific Name: Epipremnum pinnatum
Common Name: centipede tongavine Introduction and Spread: Ornamental and houseplants Environmental Requirements: tropical and subtropical areas Habitat: shade tolerant species Dispersal: cuttings, plant fragments, and/or discarded plants Environmental Impact: engulfing vegetation and shading-out native trees and shrubs in the understory Countries Affected: Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, Cuba Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/50410 http://www.gbif.org/species/102191831#distribution |
![]() Scientific Name: Cryptostegia madagascariensis
Common Name: Madagascar rubbervine Introduction and Spread: Ornamental, planted for rubber production Environmental Requirements: coastal plains Habitat: areas below 500-600 m altitude Dispersal: Seeds Environmental Impact: Completely wipes out native vegetation Countries Affected: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, and Puerto Rico Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/113682#toBigImage110955 http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp?st=sss&sn=&rn=Montserrat&ri=18238&hci=-1&ei=-1&lang=EN |
![Picture](/uploads/6/5/7/2/65727275/4623967.jpg?235)
Scientific Name: Spathoglottis plicata Blume
Common Name: Philippine ground orchid
Introduction and Spread: ornamental
Environmental Requirements: dry, wet, and mesic forests
Habitat: warm temperatures
Dispersal: Seeds, rhizomes and tubers
Environmental Impact: Competing with native species for resources
Countries Affected: Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Cuba
Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/117275
http://www.hortusorchis.org/en/botanical-orchids/124-s/1662-spathoglottis-plicata.html
Common Name: Philippine ground orchid
Introduction and Spread: ornamental
Environmental Requirements: dry, wet, and mesic forests
Habitat: warm temperatures
Dispersal: Seeds, rhizomes and tubers
Environmental Impact: Competing with native species for resources
Countries Affected: Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Cuba
Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/117275
http://www.hortusorchis.org/en/botanical-orchids/124-s/1662-spathoglottis-plicata.html
![Picture](/uploads/6/5/7/2/65727275/296285.jpg?272)
Scientific Name: Thunbergia grandiflora
Common Name: Bengal trumpet
Introduction and Spread: ornamental
Environmental Requirements: moist areas from sea level to middle elevations
Habitat: warm temperatures at low elevation
Dispersal: seeds, fragments of stems and roots
Environmental Impact: Damage river banks, paths, fences and building foundations
Countries Affected: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados and Cuba
Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/117524
http://www.globalspecies.org/ntaxa/834792
http://www.ciasnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IAS-in-the-Caribbean-Database-.pdf
Common Name: Bengal trumpet
Introduction and Spread: ornamental
Environmental Requirements: moist areas from sea level to middle elevations
Habitat: warm temperatures at low elevation
Dispersal: seeds, fragments of stems and roots
Environmental Impact: Damage river banks, paths, fences and building foundations
Countries Affected: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados and Cuba
Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/117524
http://www.globalspecies.org/ntaxa/834792
http://www.ciasnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IAS-in-the-Caribbean-Database-.pdf
![]() Scientific Name: Antigonon leptopus
Common Name: coral vine Introduction and Spread: ornamental Environmental Requirements: coastal cliffs, coastal forests Habitat: warm temperatures and high precipitation Dispersal: Seed, stems, plant fragments, tubers, and root suckers Environmental Impact: displacing native species, changing community structures and altering ecological functions Countries Affected: Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico Links: http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/112316 http://www.eattheweeds.com/antigonon-leptopus-creeping-cuisine-2/ Additional Readings![]()
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![]() Mock Orange (Pittosporum undulatum) was introduced to the Blue Mountains in 1883 as an ornamental plant. Native to Australia, Mock orange has an approximate density of 71 stems per acre. Manual labour, equipment and ranger supervision cost approximately JA$430,000 to remove a mere 20 acres of Pittosporum undulatum from the Blue Mountains.
Readings T. Goodland & J.R. Healey; The invasion of Jamaican montane rainforests by the Australian tree Pittosporum undulatum-http://pages.bangor.ac.uk/~afs101/iwpt/pittorep.pdf |
Tasheka Curtis
November 20, 2015.
November 20, 2015.