Kauaʻi record · kba_plant_noronhia_emarginata
Madagascar olive
Noronhia emarginata
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About Madagascar olive
Madagascar olive (Noronhia emarginata) is an introduced tree treated as naturalized on Kauaʻi by Bishop Museum’s 2025 checklist and the 2026 Smithsonian checklist. Current extent is unassessed. Native to Madagascar and naturalized in parts of the tropics. Its fleshy drupes can be eaten and moved by animals. Bishop Museum’s 2025 checklist establishes naturalized Kauaʻi presence, but current island abundance, stand structure, and ecological effects require current field assessment.
Kauaʻi evidence
Taxonomic identity, tree form, diagnostic morphology and island occurrence use the linked reviewed sources. Historical planting, cultivation, naturalization and invasive status are separate. Generated imagery is not occurrence evidence.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Noronhia emarginata
- Common names
- Madagascar olive
- Other names
- Noronhia emarginata · Madagascar olive · Olea emarginata Lam.
- Record type
- Species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Recorded on Kauaʻi
- Origin
- Introduced
- Conservation status
- Not yet assessed
- Evidence date
- 2026-10-06
- Evidence limits
- Current Kauaʻi abundance, distribution, trend, forest-population structure, and impacts are not established by an island-wide contemporary survey.
Habitat and ecology
- Habitats
- Not yet assessed
- Food and resource needs
- Not yet assessed
- Reproduction
- Small fragrant bisexual flowers are followed by one-seeded fleshy drupes. Recruitment requires pollination, mature fruit, dispersal, and moist microsites with sufficient light for establishment.
- Shelter
- Not yet assessed
- Growth form
- Tree
Threats and conservation
- Monitoring
- Not yet assessed
- Data gaps
- Current population extent and trajectory · Additional species-specific ecological and conservation sources
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal timing
- Not yet assessed
- Seasonal description
- Madagascar olive (Noronhia emarginata) is an introduced tree treated as naturalized on Kauaʻi by Bishop Museum’s 2025 checklist and the 2026 Smithsonian checklist. Current extent is unassessed. Native to Madagascar and naturalized in parts of the tropics. Its fleshy drupes can be eaten and moved by animals. Bishop Museum’s 2025 checklist establishes naturalized Kauaʻi presence, but current island abundance, stand structure, and ecological effects require current field assessment.
Sources and further reading
- https://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/publications/pdf/tr75.pdf
- https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:941424-1
- https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1079/cabicompendium.19708471
- https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/download/142236/147537
- https://www.hear.org/species/noronhia_emarginata/
- https://doi.org/10.5479/si.32124043