Species that are considered uncertain risk need a more in-depth assessment beyond the Risk Summary to better define the species’ risk to U.S. environments.
Cabomba aquatica (Giant Cabomba) is an aquatic flowering plant native to the South American countries of Brazil, French Guiana, Surinam, Guyana, Venezuela, and Colombia. It is a very popular aquarium plant that has been found for sale in the United States and in other countries. C. aquatica can be distinguished from other species in the genus Cabomba by the combination of bright yellow flowers and the shape of its leaves, but in trade, it is often confused with C. caroliniana, making it difficult to track the exact trade history of C. aquatica. One source reported C. aquatica as having been introduced to Texas in the 1960s, but no further information was available on location of introduction or current status, and this report could not be corroborated with other sources. C. aquatica has established outside of its native range in Malaysia but the means of introduction and any impacts of introduction are unknown. The history of invasiveness is Data Deficient. The overall climate match to the contiguous United States was low, with areas of medium match found only in the southern portions of Florida, Texas, and California. The certainty of assessment is low because of the lack of information available on impacts of introductions, confusion over the established range, and potential confusion with similar species. The overall risk assessment category is Uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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