Family: Marantaceae
Ctenanthe setosa (never never plant, prayer plant) is a species of flowering plant of the family Marantaceae. It is an evergreen perennial native to Brazil, sometimes cultivated as a landscape plant. They can form dense clumps, making this useful as a border plant. It has not been documented as naturalized in any Hawaiian Islands to date, and its limited seed set in cultivation reduces the chances of accidental dispersal or unwanted spread.
High Risk Traits:
- Grows, and may spread, in regions with tropical climates.
- Anecdotally reported to be aggressive, and potentially invasive, in landscape settings.
- May be mildly toxic if ingested and may cause dermatitis.
- Able to form monocultures that may exclude other vegetation.
- Reproduces vegetatively by rhizomatous stems.
- Members of family Marantaceae reported to be self-compatible.
- Vegetative fragments may be spread by dumped garden waste, and possibly water.
- Also spread through intentional cultivation.
Low Risk Traits:
- No confirmed reports of naturalization found.
- Cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands with no reports of naturalization or negative impacts found.
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs).
- Grows best in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit spread).
- Seed set may be rare, or absent, in cultivation.
- Lack of seed production reduces risk of long-distance of accidental dispersal.
