Family: Lamiaceae

Vitex gigantea (pechiche, pechichi) is a tree native to Honduras and South America. The tree is gathered from its natural habitat primarily for local consumption as both a food source and a supplier of high-quality timber. In Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador, it is intentionally grown for its fruit, which is then distributed and sold in local markets. There is no evidence of it naturalizing outside of its native range as of 2022. Other vitex species are known to be invasive, and the dispersal of seeds by birds is a cause for concern, but gaps in biological and ecological information may reduce accuracy of risk prediction.

High Risk Traits:

• Grows in tropical climates
  
• Other Vitex species have become invasive
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Seeds dispersed by birds and through intentional cultivation
  
• Gaps in biological and ecological information may reduce accuracy of risk prediction

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of naturalization or invasiveness, but limited evidence of cultivation outside native range
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• No evidence of toxicity reported (edible fruit)
  
• Relatively large, single-seeded fruit unlikely to be accidentally dispersed