Maesopsis eminii
|
Taxon |
Family |
|
Maesopsis Engler |
Rhamnaceae |
 |
 |
| Maesopsis eminii in its natural habitat Credit: Pierre Bingelli |
The plant outside its native range, in the Usambara forest |
Maesopsis eminii
|
Taxon |
Family |
|
Maesopsis Engler |
Rhamnaceae |
|
|
| Maesopsis eminii in its natural habitat Credit: Pierre Bingelli |
The plant outside its native range, in the Usambara forest |
Common names: Umbrella tree, musizi
Synonyms: No information available.
Life form: Tree
Biology/Ecology:
Dispersal: Birds such as hornbills and sometimes monkeys disperse drupe-containing seeds. Introduced by humans for use as a fast growing timber tree.
Reproduction: Small yellow/green flowers are hermaphroditic and protogynous, probably pollinated by various insects. Flowers and fruits are produced after four to ten years. Flowering can occur in wet or dry seasons, and fruit take three or four months to develop after pollination. There are usually 1 or 2 fruits per inflorescence. Drupes are 22-30 mm long and 10-16 mm thick. Seeds crops are produced every year or every six months. Seeds germinate when the soil is humid.
Herbivores: Attacked by many insects, especially in India.
Resistant stages: Seeds can remain dormant for up to 200 days. Coppicing occurs from stumps, which remain viable for up to a year.
Habitat:
Native habitat: Moist forests, particularly forest edges.
Habitat occupied in invaded range: Forest gaps and edges, disturbed forest.
Habitat requirements:
Grows in wet tropical, subtropical and wet montane climates.
| Altitude | Between 500 and 1500 metres above sea level. |
| Light | Seedlings survive in the shade under forest canopy for six months, but require gaps in the canopy to grow to the height of the canopy. In full sunlight, the plant grows very quickly, explaining why the plant is considered a pioneer. |
| Temperature | Mean annual temperature of between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius. Probably intolerant to frost. |
| Annual rainfall | 800 to 3100 mm. |
| Soil | Seedlings become established on bare humus soil. Trees prefer deep, well drained but moist soils with medium fertility. Requires soil pH of 4.5 to 7.5. |
Distribution:
Native to tropical West and Central Africa
Introduced range: Invasive in Puerto Rico, Rwanda, India and East Africa, especially Tanzania. Introduced but not invasive in Fiji and Solomon Islands.
Impacts:
Ecosystem: The tree regenerates in forest gaps so becomes dominant in logged and disturbed forests. It has the effect of altering soil properties, including the following:
These changes in the soil affect many native species. The plant produces many seeds which can remain dormant in the soil for a few months, making control difficult. Seedlings are shade tolerant so can grow in undisturbed forest.
Health, social and economic: Locals generally do not consider the plant as a pest, but most people have little use for the wood as it is readily attacked by fungi and insects. In areas where timber is scarce, local people may consider M. eminii an important timber tree.
Management:
Mechanical: Trees can be cut down when there is little fruiting, but the bark must be removed from the stumps to kill the tree and prevent coppicing. Seedlings and saplings can be dug out. Mechanically removing trees should be accompanied by planting native pioneer species. Logging and disturbance of forest (other than removing M. eminii) should be prevented, as the plant is likely to invade disturbed areas.
Chemical: Arboricide can be used to kill trees, although no control methods have been described.
Biological: No information available.
References:
Binggeli, P., 1998. An Overview of Invasive Woody Plants in the Tropics. School of Agricultural and Forest Science, University of Wales, Bangor. Available from http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~afs101/iwpt/welcome.shtml (Accessed August 2006).
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), 2005. Available from http://www.hear.org/pier/species/maesopsis_eminii.htm (Accessed August 2006).
Lyons, E.E. and Miller, S.E., 2000. Invasive Species in Eastern Africa: Proceedings of a workshop held at ICIPE, July 5-6, 1999. ICIPE Science Press, Kenya. Available from http://www.gisp.org/publications/workshops/EastAfrica.pdf (Accessed August 2006).
Cronk, Q.C.B., Fuller, J.L., 1995. Plant Invaders. Chapman & Hall, London.
Last updated October 2006
