Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K. Koch

Synonyms

Aralia papyrifera Hook.

Family

Araliaceae

Common Names

aralia, Chinese rice-paper plant, figleaf palm, rice paper plant, ricepaper flower, rice-paper plant, ricepaper plant, rice-paper tree

Origin

Native to Taiwan in eastern Asia. It is sometimes also regarded as being native to other parts of eastern Asia (i.e. southern China, Korea and Japan), but is most likely to have been an early introduction to these areas.

Naturalised Distribution

Scattered in many parts of southern and eastern Australia (i.e. in south-eastern Queensland, in the coastal districts of New South Wales, and near Perth in south-western Western Australia). Also naturalised on Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, and possibly naturalised in the ACT.

Also naturalised overseas in south-eastern USA (i.e. Florida).

Notes

Rice-paper plant (Tetrapanax papyrifer) is regarded as an environmental weed or potential environmental weed in New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland.