Cryptostegia grandiflora 
System : Terrestrial
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliopsida
Gentianales
Asclepiadaceae
- General
- Distribution
- Impact
- Management
- Bibliography
- Contact
Common name
India rubber vine (English), caucho de la India (Spanish, Galapagos), rubber vine (English), palay rubber vine (English), purple allamanda (English), liane de gatope (French, New Caledonia)
Synonym
Nerium grandiflorum , Roxb. ex R. Br.
Similar species
Summary
Cryptostegia grandiflora is a self supporting, many-stemmed vine that is capable of growing over trees up to 15m high, smothering and pulling them down. It occurs in dry and moist forests in disturbed situations where there is temporary or permanent water, such as in rainforest openings and along roadsides. C. grandiflora is poisonous to stock when consumed and it forms impenetrable thickets that may restrict stock access to water. It decreases water catchments due to increased transpiration resulting in a loss of trees and native vines, which in turn leads to a loss of biodiversity and habitat.
Species Description
Cryptostegia grandiflora, is a self supporting, scrambling, many-stemmed vine that grows to 2 metres tall with long trailing whips. A milky sap oozes from stems, leaves and seedpods when cut or broken. Leaves are dark green and glossy, 6-10cm long, 3-5cm wide and in opposite pairs. Roots have been found at a depth of 13 metres in mine shafts. Roots of seedlings are twice as long as shoots. The growth form of the vine differs depending on the surrounding conditions. They can form dense canopies of overpapping plants with long whips, form towers upto 30mts high the height of native trees and grow as freestanding shrubs in the absence of other vegetation. Flowers are large and showy, with five white to light purple petals in a funnel shape. The seedpods are rigid, 10-12cm long, 3-4cm wide and grow in pairs at the end of a short stalk. The flowers resemble those of the purple Allamanda (Allamanda violacea) (PIER, 2003).
Lifecycle Stages
Cryptostegia grandiflora produces seeds that last more than 12 months in the soil (Grice, 1996). Plants begin reproducing at about 200 days (CSIRO Australia, 2001).
Uses
Ornamental
Habitat Description
Cryptostegia grandiflora is an aggressive woody climbing shrub which is capable of growing over trees up to 30m high. Plants are common in disturbed situations where there is temporary or permanent water, such as along gullies, rivers, creeks, waterholes and in saltmarsh areas (Marohasy and Forster, 1991. In PIER, 2003). It found growing in dry forest, roadsides, moist forest, rainforest openings at low elevations (PIER, 2003).
Reproduction
Wind- and water-dispersed seeds. Seeds form in large pods about 15cm long which are often found in pairs, joined at the base. Each pod contains numerous seeds, each seed has a tuft of long white silky hairs. (WA, Department of Agriculture).
It can produce more than 8000 seeds in a single reproductive episode and can set seed at least twice per year. More than 90% of seeds will germinate within 10 days of moisture becoming available (Grice 1996). Each seed pod produces 340-840 seeds, and seeds can float in salt water for up to 40 days, and may still remain 60% viable after this.
It can produce more than 8000 seeds in a single reproductive episode and can set seed at least twice per year. More than 90% of seeds will germinate within 10 days of moisture becoming available (Grice 1996). Each seed pod produces 340-840 seeds, and seeds can float in salt water for up to 40 days, and may still remain 60% viable after this.
Nutrition
Prefers high levels of soil moisture for rapid growth, and subsequently is often found bordering rivers, (WA, Department of Agriculture). However roots have been known to grow up to 13m deep allowing growth even in arid conditions.
Pathway
Introduced for cultivation in India to produce a poor quality rubber latex, (WA, Department of Agriculture).Initially introduced to Australia as an ornamental species, (CSIRO Australia, 2001). http://www.rareflora.com/cryptostegiagran.htm
Principal source: Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), 2003, 2009. Cryptostegia grandiflora Roxb. ex R.Br., Apocynaceae
Compiler: IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group
Updates with support from the Overseas Territories Environmental Programme (OTEP) project XOT603, a joint project with the Cayman Islands Government - Department of Environment
Review: Dr Wayne Vogler. Weed Scientist Tropical Weeds Research Centre, Dept. Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland Australia
Publication date: 2010-10-04
Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2024) Species profile: Cryptostegia grandiflora. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=347 on 28-04-2024.
General Impacts
Cryptostegia grandiflora forms impenetrable thickets and smothers vegetation resulting in a loss of trees and native vines which in turn leads to a loss of biodiversity and habitat, (CSIRO Australia, 2001). C. grandiflora is poisonous to stock when consumed and its rampant growth may restrict stock access to water points reducing productivity and pasture production, (WA, Department of Agriculture).
Management Info
Preventative measures: A Risk assessment of Cryptostegia grandiflora for Australia was prepared by Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) using the Australian risk assessment system (Pheloung, 1995). The result is a score of 16 and a recommendation of: reject the plant for import (Australia) or species likely to be a pest (Pacific).
The Rubber vine management manual includes a comprehensive range of techniques for controlling rubber vine, and a selection of case studies demonstrating landholder approaches and experiences. Several of the landholder case studies indicate that controlling rubber vine would have been easier if they had taken steps to remove it before it ‘took off’. Maintaining good pasture competition is also beneficial in preventing the establishment and spread of rubber vine.
The Weed Control Methods Handbook provides you with detailed information about the tools and techniques available for controlling invasive plants, or weeds, in natural areas. This Handbook is divided into eight chapters, covering a range of different control methods: manual, mechanical, promoting competition from native plants, grazing, biocontrol, herbicides, prescribed fire, solarization, flooding, and other, more novel, techniques. Each control method has advantages and disadvantages in terms of its effects against the target weed(s), impacts to untargeted plants and animals, risks to human health and safety, and costs.
