Biology of Invasive Plants 2. Lycium ferocissimum Miers

The name of the genus Lycium originates from the Greek name lykion for a thorny shrub, derived from Lycia, the name of an ancient country in Asia Minor where a similar spiny shrub was found. The specific epithet ferocissimum comes from the Latin ferox, meaning “bold” or “fearless,” referring to the very spiny nature of the shrub (Green 1994; Parsons and Cuthbertson 2001).

Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn).

C. monogyna is a widely distributed (Meusel et al., 1965), thorny shrub or small tree (up to 10 m high). It is an exceptionally variable species in all its morphological features, particularly in size and shape of leaves, resulting in a high number of forms described from various parts of its range (Browicz, 1986). Common hawthorn is native to most of Europe (excluding its northeastern part) and to some places on the Mediterranean seashore. In Asia it grows naturally in Anatolia (excluding the central and northeastern regions), in northwestern Caucasus, northeastern Iraq, northern Iran, western Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel (Boratynski, 1986). C. monogyna is generally regarded as lowland species, however it has been reported from Cyprus at 1525 m in altitude, Albania and Lebanon (1600 m), Macedonia (1630 m), Greece (1650 m) and Anatolia (up to 2200 m in altitude).

Rubus ellipticus (yellow Himalayan raspberry).

The invasiveness of the thorny shrub R. ellipticus has been most thoroughly documented on the island of Hawaii. Since the first report of its escape from cultivation in 1961, this species has become established in mid-elevation forest and pastureland, forming tall, dense thickets. Seeds are sufficiently viable following passage through the digestive systems of birds and mammals to readily germinate in pastureland and undisturbed forest sites where they are deposited. Several introduced frugivorous birds and feral mammals, are capable of dissemination of seeds via ingestion of the succulent fruit and birds in particular, are able to carry seeds to adjacent sites. It can also spread by suckers and resprouts vigorously after fire. The ability to colonize undisturbed native forests and displace native species is cause for alarm among resource managers of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and other natural reserves of Hawaii, comprised of highly ecologically sensitive systems. It has been listed as one of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species (Lower et al., 2000), and is a prohibited species in South Africa (NEMBA Category 1a).

Pyracantha coccinea (scarlet firethorn).

Pyracantha coccinea is a thorny shrub, native to southern Europe and western Asia, which has been widely introduced, primarily as an ornamental plant. It is of some concern due to its potential effects on natural habitats and its being a potential reservoir of the fruit-tree pathogen Erwinia amylovora, but is has only been recorded as invasive in a small number of countries, and in most of these sources differ as to how invasive it is.

Macro- and microhabitat preferences of eastern Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri)

Macro- and microhabitat preference of Testudo hermanni boettgeri, the eastern subspecies of Hermann’s tortoise, was investigated utilizing modified methodology for the western subspecies which emphasized the importance of habitat heterogeneity preservation. The study objective was to explore the habitat preferences of the eastern subspecies of T. hermanni. Research was conducted within the same year at four localities in Eastern and Southeastern Serbia. Macrohabitat determination was conducted using a 0 to 5 land cover score system (coverage with herbaceous, bushy or tree vegetation) for 4 m2 tortoise encounter surroundings. Microhabitat analysis was carried out by determining the plant species in closest contact with the tortoise in the moment of recording. Plants were classified into six groups: 1) aromatic, 2) bramble, 3) herbaceous, 4) thorny shrub, 5) tree and 6) non-thorny shrubs. test was used for comparison between expected and empirical habitat preference. Results confirmed that the most attractive macrohabitats for Eastern Hermann’s tortoises in this part of the Balkans are meadows and open shrublands, with the addition of dense forest (important in wormer months), what is concordant with earlier data from the Mediterranean part of former Yugoslavia. The most attractive microhabitats were “herbaceous plants”, followed by “bramble”.

A new species of Asphondylia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) causing leaf galls on jujube, Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Rhamnaceae) in India

Jujube Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Rhamnaceae), known as “Ber” in India, is an evergreen thorny shrub with reddish-brown fruits, chiefly found in Southeast Asia (Reza 2014). Up to now three species of gall midges have been associated with jujube: Phyllodiplosis jujubae Grover & Bakshi, and Silvestrina jujubae Chandra in India and Dasineura jujubifolia Jiao & Bu in China (Grover & Bakhshi 1978; Chandra 1988; Jiao et al. 2017). Between 2015 and 2018 during field trips by DV & VRP to Singanallur lake area, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, one of us (DV) noticed and collected leaves of Z. jujuba containing small galls on the midrib region of leaves. In the laboratory the leaves were dissected, and causative agent identified as a gall midge. The adults were reared and identified as undescribed species of gall midge, here described and named Asphondylia singanallurensis Vasanthakumar & Sharma. Type specimens were processed and mounted in Canada balsam as per the method in Kolesik et al. (2015). Holotype and paratypes were prepared and deposited in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India, WRC, Pune.

Seasonal Variation in Macartney Rose (Rosa bracteata) Response to Herbicide Treatment

Macartney rose is an aggressive, thorny shrub that suppresses forage production and strongly hinders cattle grazing in southern pastures. Previous studies have found this weed to be extremely difficult to control with most pasture herbicides. We conducted two studies in central Alabama to assess several new herbicide chemistries applied at spring, early fall, and late fall timings. In the first study, we compared aminocyclopyrachlor, tank mixed with either 2,4-D, triclopyr, metsulfuron, or chlorsulfuron, with the commercial standard, picloram + 2,4-D. In the second study, we compared aminopyralid, tank mixed with either 2,4-D or metsulfuron and triclopyr + fluroxypyr, to the commercial standard, picloram + 2,4-D. Aminocyclopyrachlor + chlorsulfuron or metsulfuron and aminopyralid + 2,4-D or metsulfuron provided acceptable control and were comparable to picloram + 2,4-D at the early fall timing. Macartney rose control with treatments applied at the late fall timing tended to be less than commercially acceptable levels. We found that no herbicide treatment controlled Macartney rose at the spring timing. In addition, triclopyr + fluroxypyr did not control Macartney rose at any application timing. These results indicate that the early fall timing was optimal and that both aminocyclopyrachlor and aminopyralid can provide good Macartney rose control when mixed with certain other herbicides, including metsulfuron.

Generic Placement of the Former Condaliopsis (Rhamnaceae) species

Condaliopsis is a genus of eight thorny shrub species. Previous morphological research shed doubt on the validity of Condaliopsis as a distinct genus in Rhamnaceae. Condaliopsis species were transferred to one of two genera, Ziziphus or Condalia, but some authors continue to recognize Condaliopsis. A recent phylogenetic study did not support Condaliopsis as monophyletic and placement of Condaliopsis species in either Ziziphus or Condalia was not straightforward. To clarify the generic placement of these eight species, we conducted phylogenetic analyses based on two nuclear loci (nrITS and 26S), two chloroplast loci (trnL-F and trnQ-rps16) and morphological characters. We present evidence that five of the Condaliopsis species should remain in Ziziphus, one should remain in Condalia, and two should be transferred from Ziziphus to Condalia. One of these species had an existing binomial within Condalia, Condalia parryi, and one required a new combination, Condalia celata. Condalia celata is a federally listed endangered species with a limited range in Florida.

Macartney Rose (Rosa bracteata) Response to Herbicide and Mowing Treatments

Macartney rose is an aggressive thorny shrub that displaces forage species and hinders cattle grazing in rangelands and pastures of the southern United States. Historically, Macartney rose has proven to be extremely difficult to control even with high rates of soil residual herbicides such as picloram. Recent advances in herbicide chemistry warrant testing on this troublesome species. We compared mowing and late summer broadcast applications of thirteen herbicide treatments that included combinations of aminopyralid, fluroxypyr, metsulfuron, picloram, triclopyr, and 2,4-D. Treatments were applied to the same rose clumps for 2 consecutive yr. An additional mowing was done to one half of the rose clumps in each treatment 6 mo after the second herbicide treatment. At 11 mo after initial treatment (MAIT), mowing and all herbicide treatments performed very poorly and provided 35% control or less. At 12 mo after retreatment (24 MAIT), picloram + 2,4-D and aminopyralid + metsulfuron, both followed by mowing, were the most effective treatments, providing 72 to 91% control. All other treatments provided less than 70% control. However, complete clump mortality was very low across all treatments, ranging from 3 to 32%. These results indicate that Macartney rose suppression is possible with certain new herbicides, but complete clump kill is still lacking.