Melastomataceae
(Melastoma family)
Clidemia hirta
Introduced
Koster's curse
Aptly named Koster's "curse," this
shrub native to Tropical America was accidentally introduced to Hawai`i
in 1941 and is a serious pest species in the Ko`olau and Waianae ranges
on O`ahu. This species has made its way into mesic and wet forest
on O`ahu, Moloka`i, Maui, and Hawai`i island.