Flemingia macrophylla (Willdenow) Merrill, 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: 4 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Crotalaria macrophylla Willd.; Moghania macrophylla(Willd.) Kuntze

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Shrub 0.6-2.4 m high; branches 3-angled; leaflets lanceolate to narrowly elliptical, acuminate, up to 30 cm long and 9 cm broad; racemes axillary, 5-15 cm long; bracts linear to lanceolate, 15-20 mm long; calyx-segments unequal, 9 mm long overall; corolla rosy-purple, the standard petal 9 mm long; pod 13 mm long."  (Adams, 1972)(Genus) "Shrubs or herbs, erect or prostrate.  Leaves stipulate; blades exstipellate, digitately 3-foliolate or 1-foliolate; leaflet blades gland-doted below.  Inflorescences densely spicate-racemose or paniculate, bracts foliaceous or dry, persistent or deciduous, bracteoles absent; calyx lobes subequal or lowest longer; vexillary stamen free, remainder connate, anthers uniform; style glabrous.  Pods turgid, dehiscent, continuous within; seeds estrophiolate.  (Species)  Erect, up to ca 2 m tall.  Leaflets 3, blades ovate to oblong, apex shortly acuminate, 8-15 cm X 4-7 cm, hairy on nerves and veins below.  Inflorescences dense spike-like racemes; calyx 0.7-1.3 cm long; corolla white to pink or yellowish, up to ca 1.4 cm long.  Pods ca 1.2 cm long"  (Stanley and Ross, 1983; vol. 1, p. 326).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Caledonia, "peu commun mais parfois planté comme brise-vent dans les pépinières" (MacKee, 1994; p. 84). Naturalized along roadsides and in low-lying places in Jamaica, 400-1200 feet (Adams, 1972; p. 355).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa and Asia

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (pp. 6, 12)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1999) (voucher ID: BISH 662828) Taxon name on voucher: Flemingia macrophylla (Willdenow) Merrill
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7) Single cultivated plant.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 254) Vouchers cited: DA 14347, Meebold 16658
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 34240) Taxon name on voucher: Flemingia macrophylla (Willdenow) Merrill
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1932) (voucher ID: BISH 155088) Taxon name on voucher: Flemingia macrophylla (Willdenow) Merrill
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 84) Vouchers cited: Suprin in Mackee 43389
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 84) Vouchers cited: Mackee 29468, Mackee 29592, Mackee 31225, Pilecki in Mackee 35674
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 13, 85)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 13, 80)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 13)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2009)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2009)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced invasive	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 76)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (pp. 6-7) MAF Agricultural Station
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (pp. 6-7)

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)	Australia (continental)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2009)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2009)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2009)

Comments:  This species and F. strobilifera show every indication of becoming invasive species on Pacific islands.

Planted on Tutuila, American Samoa, and showing indications of naturalizing (Space & Flynn, 2000). Naturalizing along the highway west of A‘opo on Savai‘i, Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2002), and along roadsides in Rarotonga and Mangaia, Cook Islands (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Additional information:
Information from the World Agroforestry Centre's AgroForestryTree Database.

Additional online information about Flemingia macrophylla is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Flemingia macrophylla as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Flemingia macrophylla may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

Other Latin names:  Crotalaria macrophylla Willd.; Moghania macrophylla(Willd.) Kuntze

References:

Adams, C. D. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. 848 pp.

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1932. Voucher specimen #BISH 155088 (Meebold, A. 16658).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1965. Voucher specimen #BISH 34240 (Qoro, I. 14347).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1999. Voucher specimen #BISH 662828 (Flynn, T. 6613).

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2009. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2008. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Stanley, T. D./Ross, E. M. 1989. Flora of south-eastern Queensland. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Misc. Pub. 81020. 3 Volumes.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.