Clusia rosea

Pictures

Picture	Title	Caption	Copyright
Title Habit Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); spreading into abandoned pineapple fields. Kahana West Maui, Maui. April 12, 2011 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2011. CC-BY-3.0	Habit	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); spreading into abandoned pineapple fields. Kahana West Maui, Maui. April 12, 2011	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2011. CC-BY-3.0
Title Habit Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); Habit in Sabal palmetto. John Prince Park, Lake Worth, Florida, USA. September 25, 2009 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2009. CC-BY-3.0	Habit	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); Habit in Sabal palmetto. John Prince Park, Lake Worth, Florida, USA. September 25, 2009	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2009. CC-BY-3.0
Title Aerial roots Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); aerial roots. Hilo, Hawaii. December 05, 2001 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2001. CC-BY-3.0	Aerial roots	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); aerial roots. Hilo, Hawaii. December 05, 2001	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2001. CC-BY-3.0
Title Flower Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); flower. Kahului, Maui. October 25, 2001 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2001. CC-BY-3.0	Flower	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); flower. Kahului, Maui. October 25, 2001	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2001. CC-BY-3.0
Title Leaves and fruit Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); leaves and fruit. Lahaina Aquatic Center, Maui. February 21, 2007 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2007. CC-BY-3.0	Leaves and fruit	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); leaves and fruit. Lahaina Aquatic Center, Maui. February 21, 2007	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2007. CC-BY-3.0
Title Fruit and leaves Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); fruit and leaves. Kahului, Maui. October 25, 2001 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2001. CC-BY-3.0	Fruit and leaves	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); fruit and leaves. Kahului, Maui. October 25, 2001	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2001. CC-BY-3.0
Title Seeds Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); pulpy, red seeds. Kahului Airport, Maui. September 22, 2006 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2006. CC-BY-3.0	Seeds	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); pulpy, red seeds. Kahului Airport, Maui. September 22, 2006	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2006. CC-BY-3.0
Title Spent seed capsule Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); distinctive spent seed capsule. Pali o Waipio, Maui. November 08, 2012 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2012. CC-BY-3.0	Spent seed capsule	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); distinctive spent seed capsule. Pali o Waipio, Maui. November 08, 2012	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2012. CC-BY-3.0
Title Seedlings Caption Clusia rosea (autograph tree); epiphytic growth of seedlings. Kapalua, Maui. June 20, 2002 Copyright ©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2002. CC-BY-3.0	Seedlings	Clusia rosea (autograph tree); epiphytic growth of seedlings. Kapalua, Maui. June 20, 2002	©Forest & Kim Starr Images-2002. CC-BY-3.0

Identity

Preferred Scientific Name

• Clusia rosea Jacq.

Other Scientific Names

• Clusia major Carl von Linnaeus
• Clusia retusa Poir
• Clusia rosea var. colombiana Cuatrec.

International Common Names

• English: autograph tree; balsam-apple
• Spanish: copey rosado (Spain)

Local Common Names

• Caribbean: copey; cupey
• Germany: Balsamapfel; rosafarbener balsamapfel
• Puerto Rico: cupey
• Sweden: Narrfikkus
• USA: florida clusia

EPPO code

• CUFRO (Clusia rosea)

Summary of Invasiveness

C. rosea is a terrestrial or epiphytic tree or shrub native to Mexico, Florida and much of Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. It has been introduced to Guam and Hawaii and is listed as one of Hawaii's most invasive horticultural plants, and is also reported in Brazil and Singapore. Although there is little evidence available for this listing, it is a strangler plant, beginning its life on another host plant and ultimately killing the host. Plants are similar to strangler figs (Ficus spp.) and Schefflera spp. in that the seeds are bird dispersed and can germinate in the crotch of other trees, sending down aerial roots, before replacing the host tree (Neal, 1965).

Taxonomic Tree

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Theales
•                         Family: Clusiaceae
•                             Genus: Clusia
•                                 Species: Clusia rosea

Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature

The genus Clusia comprises of about 145 species mostly from subtropical and tropical regions of the New World, Madagascar, and New Caledonia (Wagner et al., 1999).

The tree is named in honour of the Dutch botanist Clusius (1526-1609) (Wagner et al., 1999).

Description

The following description is extracted from Wagner et al. (1999).

Terrestrial or epiphytic trees or shrubs 7-20 m tall, bark smooth. Leaves thick and coriaceous, obovate, 8-16 cm long, 3.5-14 cm wide, lateral veins arising at a 45 degree angle or less from midrib, petioles 1-2 cm long with a margined pit on upper side near base. Flowers 1-3 in axillary or pseudoterminal cymes, bracteoles 2-4; sepals 4-6, 1-2 cm long, persistent; petals 6-8, white or pink, broadly obovate to suborbicular, 3-4 cm long; staminate flowers with stamens in several whorls, connate at base into a ring, inner stamens connate into a solid resinous mass; pistillate flowers with staminodes connate into a cup, ovary globose, stigmas 6-9, sessile. Capsules greenish brown, somewhat fleshy, globose, 5-8 cm in diameter. Seeds with a dark red, thin, fleshy aril.

Plant Type

Distribution

The natural range of C. rosea centres on the Caribbean and neighbouring countries (USDA-ARS, 2012), and includes the Florida Keys, the islands of Andros, New Providence, Inagua and East Caicos in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola in the US Virgin Islands, Anguilla and St. Martin in the Lesser Antilles (Britton and Millspaugh, 1920; Little and Wadsworth 1964; Little, 1979; Howard, 1989). In the past it was observed in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, but was not reported there by Little and Wadsworth (1964). Howard (1989), however considered that reports of C. rosea growing in Central and South America were other species of the genus Clusia, but this is not accepted here.

The species is known to be naturalized on Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii (Wagner et al., 1999) and was recently documented as naturalized on Maui (Wagner et al., 1999). On Maui, C. rosea is densely distributed in lowland urban areas of Kahului, Lahaina, Kihei, Makawao, Haiku, and Hana (Oppenheimer and Bartlett, 2000).

Distribution Table

The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.

History of Introduction and Spread

C. rosea has been and is still widely planted in Hawaii and is known to spread from initial plantings. These trees are extremely hardy and grow well in both wet and dry sites.

Introductions

Risk of Introduction

C. rosea is far from eradication on Maui and is an extremely popular and widely planted species in Hawaii. Perhaps most susceptible to invasion are natural areas near urban locations.

Habitat

The species usually begins life on another plant. After the roots reach the ground, it begins to strangle its host and eventually replaces it, like some species of Ficus (Neal, 1965). C. rosea has been observed thriving in a range of habitats from dry lava landscapes to wet steep slopes. It is mostly observed at low elevations. In Hawaii, it occupies dry and moist forests and open, disturbed areas at elevations below 1000 m (Wagner et al., 1999). On Maui, C. rosea is densely distributed in lowland urban areas of Kahului, Lahaina, Kihei, Makawao, Haiku, and Hana. It is commonly planted in parking lots of shopping centres, schools, condominiums and residential areas (Wagner et al., 1999; Oppenheimer and Bartlett, 2000).

Habitat List

Biology and Ecology

Genetics

Genetic variation in this species is evident by differences in leaf shape and stem form. A variegated variety, 'aureo-variegata', is cultivated as an ornamental (Graf, 1959). 

Reproductive Biology

C. rosea is apomictic; it produces only pistillate flowers, which need no pollination for fruit and seed development (Howard, 1989; Maguire, 1976). It can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, or air layers (Brickell and Zuk, 1997). Fruiting trees produce seeds in large numbers. Seeds are very small, with one seed collection in Puerto Rico averaging 84,000 seeds per kg. The seeds can be dispersed by gravity or after being eaten by birds (Francis, 1993).

According to Armstrong (1999), Dr. Erwin Ting of the University of California at Riverside found that Clusia plants exhibit Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM), a photosynthetic mechanism which aids in conserving moisture, also used by cacti and other succulents. In Clusia, CAM is useful during the epiphytic seedling stage until aerial roots are able to reach the ground and draw up nutrients and moisture.

Physiology and Phenology

Flowering occurs only in dominant or co-dominant trees. Although flowering and fruiting are synchronized within individual trees, scattered trees can be found flowering at any time of the year (Little, 1979). The large and showy flower petals are white, tinged with pink. The fruits, reputed to be poisonous to humans (Roig y Mesa, 1945), are eaten by bats (Little, 1979).

Associations

In Cuba, on a dry limestone plateau, the plant was seen growing in association with Dendrocereus nudiflorus, Guaiacum sanctum, Lysiloma latisiliqua and Phyllostylon brasiliensis (Marie-Victorin, 1942). When growing on cliff faces on moist limestone hills, C. rosea has been observed competing with Ficus citrifolia, Ficus crassinervia and Ficus stahlii (Chinea, 1980). A swampy forest coastal type in Puerto Rico, which showed some evidence of past cutting, was dominated by C. rosea (81% of the total basal area) and also contained significant basal areas of Syzygium jambos and Ocotea leucoxylon (Figueroa et al., 1984).

C. rosea, Schefflera actinophylla and species of Ficus are often found germinating in the crotch of the same tree. 

Environmental Requirements

Growing well in full sun to dappled shade, C. rosea tolerates many different soil types but grows most rapidly in moist soils. It is fairly tolerant of light open sands and salt spray, making it ideal for seaside locations (Gilman and Watson, 2003). C. rosea is typically observed at low elevations and is able to tolerate a variety of climates, thriving in a range of habitats from dry lava landscapes to wet steep slopes. In Puerto Rico, it typically grows in forests receiving 750-3000 mm of annual precipitation whereas in Haiti, the average annual precipitation is 600-1250 mm. In areas of less precipitation, the species tends to grow near streams, intermittent streams, and moist coves. A dry season of two or three months occurs in most of its native range. Mean annual temperatures near sea level range from about 24.5°C in the Florida Keys, USA, to about 27°C in St. Martin in the Lesser Antilles (Steinhauser, 1979). Frost does not occur in the native range of this species.

Climate

Rainfall

Soil Tolerances

Soil reaction

• acid
• alkaline
• neutral

Soil texture

• heavy
• light
• medium

Natural Enemies

Notes on Natural Enemies

Two species of termite, Cryptotermes brevis and Nasutitermes costalis are known to feed on the branches of C. rosea. The species is also susceptible to root rot and leaf spot (Brickell and Zuk, 1997).

Means of Movement and Dispersal

Natural Dispersal (Non-Biotic)

Seeds are naturally dispersed by gravity (Francis, 1993).

Vector Transmission (Biotic)

In Hawaii, C. rosea is spread by birds, which eat the seeds (Francis, 1993). Bats are also a potential vector as they eat the fruits (Little, 1979).

Intentional Introduction

Plants are mainly dispersed long distances by humans who use the tree in landscaping. In Hawaii, the plant was previously cultivated as an ornamental but it is mostly spread by birds now, becoming naturalized in disturbed areas (Wagner et al., 1999).

Pathway Causes

Pathway Vectors

Impact Summary

Environmental Impact

Impact on Habitats

The species is listed as one of Hawaii’s most invasive horticultural plants but little is known about its effects on ecosystem processes.

Impact on Biodiversity

C. rosea is a strangler species; damaging the host plant and eventually replacing it. Although its impacts on native species are not well known, it is tolerant to a range of conditions, grows rapidly and competes with other species for light (Neal, 1965). 

Risk and Impact Factors

Impact mechanisms

• Competition - shading
• Competition - strangling
• Rapid growth
• Rooting

Impact outcomes

• Host damage
• Infrastructure damage

Invasiveness

• Abundant in its native range
• Fast growing
• Gregarious
• Has a broad native range
• Has high genetic variability
• Has high reproductive potential
• Highly adaptable to different environments
• Highly mobile locally
• Is a habitat generalist
• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Tolerant of shade

Likelihood of entry/control

• Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately

Similarities to Other Species/Conditions

In Hawaii, there is a variegated dwarf species, Clusia guttifera, known as 'nana' or dwarf pitch apple. This small-leafed similar species is becoming increasingly popular in landscaping (Dehgan, 1998).

Plants are similar to strangler figs (Ficus spp.) and Schefflera spp. in that the prolific seeds are bird dispersed and can germinate in the crotch of other trees, sending aerial roots, and eventually killing the host tree (Neal, 1965).

Prevention and Control

Prevention

The threat posed by this species could be reduced by discouraging future plantings, especially near natural areas. Furthermore, plants that appear in nature reserves could be controlled. However, further investigation into control methodology is needed for epiphytic invaders such as C. rosea (Starr et al., 2003).

Physical/Mechanical Control

Control may be complicated for trees growing as epiphytes in desirable trees. It may be possible to pull out small seedlings (Starr et al., 2003).

Chemical Control

Larger trees will probably require chemical control, such as cut stump or basal bark methods. Foliar applications of glyphosate seem to have little effect on C. rosea (Starr et al., 2003).

Gaps in Knowledge/Research Needs

Little is known about its invasiveness and no justification is given for its listing as one of 'Hawaii's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants'. Furthermore, there is no information about possible species threatened by this plant.

In general, there has also been little research into control methods for epiphytic invaders, such as C. rosea.

References

Armstrong WP, 1999. Wayne's Word: An online textbook of Natural History., USA: Wayne's Word. http://waynesword.palomar.edu/

Balakrishna M, Bhattacharjee SK, 1991. Studies on propagation of ornamental trees, through stem cuttings. Indian Journal of Horticulture, 48(1):87-94; 14 ref.

Brickell C, Zuk JD, 1997. The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. New York, USA: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 1104 pp.

Britton NL, Millspaugh CF, 1920. The Bahama Flora. New York, USA: NL Britton & CF Millspaugh.

Chinea JD, 1980. MS thesis. Ithaca, New York, USA: Cornel University, 70 pp.

Chong KY, Tan HTW, Corlett RT, 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species., Singapore: Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore, 273 pp.

Daehler CC, Baker RF, 2006. New records of naturalized and naturalizing plants around Lyon Arboretum, Manoa Valley, O'ahu. Part 1: Articles. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2004-2005, Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 87:3-18.

Dehgan B, 1998. Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. Florida, USA: Universit Press of Florida, 640 pp.

Figueroa JC, Totti LLugo AE, Woodbury RO, 1984. Structure and composition of moist coastal forest in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Los Angeles, USA: USDA.

Francis JK, 1993. Clusia rosea Jacq. Cupey, SO-ITF-SM-69. Los Angeles, USA: USDA, 143-147 pp.

Gilman EF, Watson DG, 2003. Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Florida, USA: University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

Graf AB, 1959. Exotica 2. Rutherford, New Jersey, USA: Roehrs Company, 1149 pp.

Howard RA, 1989. Flora of the Lesser Antilles, Leeward and Windward Islands. Volume 5. Jamaica Plain, MA, USA: Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, 604 pp.

Little EL Jr, 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). USDA Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 541; Washington, DC: USA.

Little EL, Jr, Wadsworth FH, 1964. Common trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Agriculture Handbook U.S. Department of Agriculture No. 249. Washington DC, USA: USDA.

Maguire B, 1976. Apomixis in the genus Clusia (Clusiaceae). - A preliminary report. Taxon, 25(2/3):241-244.

Marie-Victorin F, Leon F, 1942. Itineraires botaniques dans l'ile de Cuba (Itineraires botaniques dans l'ile de Cuba). Montreal, Canada: Institut Botanique de L' Universite de Montreal, 227 pp.

Neal MC, 1965. In Gardens of Hawai'i, 40. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: Bernice P. Bishop Museum.

Oppenheimer HL, Bartlett RT, 2000. New Plant Records from Maui, O'ahu, and Hawai'i Islands. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 64:1-10.

PIER, 2013. Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: HEAR, University of Hawaii. http://www.hear.org/pier/index.html

Raulerson L, 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution, 37. 1-69.

Riffle RL, 1998. The tropical look: an encyclopaedia of landscape plants for worldwide use. London, UK: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 428 pp.

Roig y Mesa JT, 1945. Plantas medicinales, aromaticas o venenosas de Cuba (Plantas medicinales, aromaticas o venenosas de Cuba). Havana, Cuba: Ministerio de Agricultura, Servicio de Publicidad y Divulgacion, 872 pp.

Starr F, Starr K, Loope LI, 2003. Clusia rosea, Autograph tree, Clusiaceae. Maui, Hawaii, USA: United States Geological Survey--Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station.

Steinhauser F, 1979. Climatic atlas of North and Central America, 31 maps. Budapest, Hungary: World Meteorological Organization, UNESCO Cartographia.

USDA-ARS, 2012. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Beltsville, USA: USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network. http://www.ars-grin.gov

Vander Velde N, 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Washington DC, USA: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 141 pp.

Wagner WI, Herbst DR, Sohmer SH, 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii, revised edition. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: University of Hawaii Press.

Wysong M, Hughes G, Wood KR, 2007. New Hawaiian plant records for the island of Moloka'i. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2006. Part 2: Notes, Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 96:1-8.

Links to Websites

Contributors

03/01/2013 Original text by:

Eduardo Ventosa, Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico

Distribution Maps

• = Present, no further details
• = Evidence of pathogen
• = Widespread
• = Last reported
• = Localised
• = Presence unconfirmed
• = Confined and subject to quarantine
• = See regional map for distribution within the country
• = Occasional or few reports

Download KML file Download CSV file

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Please click OK to ACCEPT or Cancel to REJECT

OK Cancel

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Please click OK to ACCEPT or Cancel to REJECT

OK Cancel