Cassia fistula L., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk (based on second screen), score: 3 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: cañafistula, canafistula

English: Indian laburnum, golden shower, pudding-pipe tree, purging cassia

French: bâton casse, canéficer, casse fistuleuse, cytise Indien

Hindi: amaltas

Spanish: cañafístula, chorizo, cigarro

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree to 10 m high (33 feet) or more with tiny linear stipules.  Leaves even-pinnately compound, alternate, with three to eight pairs of leaflets, blades ovate to elliptic, 6-15 cm long (2 1/2 - 6 in), waxy white on the lower surface.  Flowers usually seasonal in spring to early fall; flowers many, borne in hanging axillary racemes to 80 cm long (32 in).  Corolla of five free, ovate to elliptic, yellow, clawed petals 1.8-4 cm long (3/4 - 1 5/8 in).  Fruit a narrow, hanging, cylindrical pod 30-60 cm long (12-24 in), filled with seeds embedded in a sticky pulp."  (Whistler, 2000; pp. 111-112).

Description from Flora of China online.

Habitat/ecology:  In New Caledonia, "commun aujourd'hui dans les jardins de Nouméa" (MacKee, 1994; p. 73).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Widely cultivated & naturalized in tropics, possible origin tropical Asia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 35)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Single tree at the 'Atiu motel
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 16) One seen
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 75)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 90)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 102) Voucher cited: Howard 307
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 102) Voucher cited: DA 12243
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 143) Vouchers cited: Moore 439, BRY 25413
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 143) Voucher cited: BRY 25413
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2271b (PAP) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 310) Voucher cited: Stone 4009 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 697)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (pp. 140-141) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58529 (US), Fosberg 58788 (US)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 73) Vouchers cited: Metzger 30 bis, MacKee 24834, MacKee 42967
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 55) Vouchers cited: CHR 169769, CHR 169771 Uncommon per Sykes.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 60) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9804 (BISH)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 28)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 218)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced cultivated	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (pp. 262-263) Occasionally planted.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 56)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 34)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) "sparingly naturalised".
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Cultivated in S. and S.W. China".
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 135) Ornamental, timber, medicinal.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 24) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 108)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé"
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Rodrigues Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cassia fistula, please let us know.