Table 4 Examples of alien cultivated and invasive plant species in La Reunion Island potentially rich in dyes or pigments
Family | Local vernacular name | General status (region of origin) | IUCN Red List Categories & Protection status (French law) | Plant organs | Color produced | Known traditional uses and applications, and cultural status | Main components | Cited references | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acacia dealbata Link | FABACEAE | Acacia Bernier, mimosa | Alien invasive (Australia, Tasmania) | NA | Bark, pods, flowers | Black | Medicinal uses; restoration; horticulture | Flavonoid, alkaloid, tannins | |
Acacia mearnsii De Wild | FABACEAE | Acacia | Alien invasive (Australia) | NA | Bark, pods | Yellow, pink, grey, brown, black | Medicinal uses; horticulture; firewood | Tannins, proanthocyanidin | |
Antigonon leptopus Hook. et Arn | POLYGONACEAE | Liane antigone | Alien invasive (Mexico and Central America) | NA | Leaves, stems and flowers | Brown, green | Medicinal uses; ornament | Phenolic compounds, tannins, anthraquinons | [79] |
Casuarina equisetifolia L | CASUARINACEAE | Filao | Alien cultivated, invasive (Indopacific litt., Australia and New-Caledonia) | NA | Bark, leaves | Pink, brown | Dyeing; firewood; against beach erosion | Casuarine | |
Cinnamomum burmannii (Nees et T. Nees) Blume | LAURACEAE | Ti cannelle | Alien cultivated, invasive (South-East Asia) | NA | Leaves | Red | Medicinal uses; dietary | D-Borneol | [83] |
Coccoloba uvifera (L.) L | POLYGONACEAE | Raisin de mer | Alien cultivated (Atlantic American littoral) | NA | Fruit, leaves | Purpleish | Ornament; medicinal uses; dietary; woodworking | Anthocyanins, anthocyanidins, | [84] |
Cryptomeria japonica (L. f.) D. Don | CUPRESSACEAE | Cryptoméria | Alien cultivated (Japan) | NA | Leaves | Copper apricot, flesh color | Medicinal uses; essential oil; insecticide; woodworking | Terpinene, p-cymene, 3-carene, terpinolene, beta-myrcene | / |
Curcuma longa L | ZINGIBERACEAE | Safran-pays | Alien cultivated (India) | NA | Rhizome | Dark yellow | Medicinal uses; dietary | Polyphenols, curcumins | |
Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit | FABACEAE | Cassi | Alien invasive (Central America) | NA | Leaves | n.d | Medicinal uses; fodder; firewood | Tannins | [87] |
Phormium tenax J.R. Forst. et G. Forst | ASPHODELACEAE | Vacoa de laine | Alien cultivated (New Zealand) | NA | Whole plant | Yellow | Ornament; textile | n.d | / |
Psidium cattleyanum Sabine | MYRTACEAE | Goyavier | Alien cultivated and invasive (Brazil) | NA | Wood, fruit | Reddish | Medicinal uses; uncontrolled culture; dietary; woodworking | Anthocyanins, Phenolics, carotenoids | [88] |
Ravenala madagascariensis Sonn | STELITZIACEAE | Ravenale, arbre du voyageur | Alien cultivated, naturalized (Madagascar) | NA | Fruit | Turquoise | Ornament | n.d | / |
Selenicereus undatus (Haw.) D.R. Hunt | CACTACEAE | Pitahaya | Alien cultivated, invasive (Tropical America) | NA | Fruit | Red, purple | Medicinal uses; dietary; defensive hedges | n.d | [71] |
Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels | MYRTACEAE | Jamblon | Alien invasive, cultivated (Indo-Malaisia) | NA | Fruit | Purple, yellowish | Medicinal uses; uncontrolled culture; dietary | Tannins | [89] |
Terminalia catappa L | COMBRETACEAE | Badamier | Alien (cryptogenic?) cultivated (Indopacific litt.) | NA | Leaves, bark | Brownish | Medicinal uses; dietary; ornament (shady); firewood; woodworking | Tannins | |
Ulex europaeus L | FABACEAE | Ajonc d'Europe, zépinard des Hauts, Genêt | Alien invasive (Europe) | NA | Flowers | Pale yellow | Defensive hedges;fodder | n.d | [9] |