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.