Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Ludwigia helminthorrhiza (a plant, no common name) - Uncertain Risk

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.

Ludwigia helminthorrhiza is a plant in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae) native to Mexico, and Central and South America. L. helminthorrhiza is used as a decorative plant in aquariums and has been proposed for metals biomonitoring. There is evidence of L. helminthorrhiza in trade in the United States and globally. There are no known nonnative populations of the species in the United States, but it has been introduced and become established in Cuba. Negative impacts of the introduction to Cuba have been reported, however, only the abstract was available in English. Therefore, the basis of the impacts could not be evaluated. The History of Invasiveness category is classified as Data Deficient. The overall climate match category for the contiguous United States for L. helminthorrhiza was high. Areas of high match were centered on the Gulf and southern Atlantic Coasts. Areas of medium match were mostly found from southern California eastward to the mid-Atlantic. The certainty of assessment is low due to limited information on impacts of invasion. The overall risk assessment category for Ludwigia helminthorrhiza is Uncertain.