Miconia calvescens
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Miconia calvescens |
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Miconia calvescens is a species within the family of melastomataceae (Melastomataceae). It originally comes from the Neotropic , but it has become known as an aggressive neophyte on the Pacific islands of Hawaii and Tahiti .
description
This evergreen tree can grow to heights of up to 15 meters. It has very large leaves that can be up to a meter long. The upper side of the leaf is green, the underside purple and the whitish leaf veins have the shape typical of this family.
This Miconia species can bloom several times a year and also bear fruit at the same time. The inflorescences are large and light pink in color. The berry-like fruits, filled with many seeds, are purple in color and about half a centimeter in diameter. The fruits are sweet and therefore attract many birds that contribute to their spread.
Ecological importance and status
The coloring made this plant species attractive as an ornamental plant in the mid-20th century , which is why it was introduced to Hawaii and other regions. However, after it gained a foothold in the humid tropical rainforest, it spread incessantly, so that it has now become a real threat to the local ecosystems . In Hawaii, the plant is therefore also called the "purple plague".
This and also the large seed production make Miconia calvescens a very strong competitor to the respective native flora. The seeds scattered on the ground sprout as soon as light falls through the dense canopy of the rainforest. When the plant is fully grown, its large, shadowy leaves prevent other plants from growing nearby. The not very deep root network also enables faster erosion; entire mountain slopes have already slipped because Miconia plants no longer give the ground a hold and other trees with deeper roots have been displaced.
Miconia calvescens was first discovered in Hawaii in the early 1990s, and since the aggressiveness of the plant was already known, actions and programs to control the spread were immediately started. Afforestation and the use of herbicides should help, but biological pest control cannot yet keep up with the rate of spread. Often there are actions by volunteers who move into the jungle to remove the plants by hand.
The plant has already led to an ecological disaster in Tahiti. A quarter of the rainforest there already consists of miconia plants. For this reason, it is often referred to as the "green cancer" on the island.
