Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Phaseolus lunatus
L., Fabaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: mian dou

English: Burma bean, Lima bean, Madagascar bean, Sieva bean, butter bean, haricot bean, sugar bean

French: haricot de Lima, haricot du Cap, pois du Cap

Hindi: sem

Spanish: fréjol de mata, frijol de luna, haba lima, habichuela, judía de Lima, pallar, palma de coco

Tongan: piini ‘ae puaka, piini tonga

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial or biennial climber, sometimes shrubby, with stems up to 4 m long...  The leaflet blades are ovate to rhomboid or lanceolate, usually 5-12 x 3-9 cm, acute to acuminate, sparsely pilose to glabrous.  The inflorescences bear few-many flowers (often 4 per rachis node) and have peduncles up to 30 cm long; the bracts are lanceolate and persistent, about 1.5 mm long, and the bracteoles are elliptic to ovate, 1.5-2 mm long.  The standard is white to pale rose or purplish, rounded-oblong, up to 7 x 10 mm, the wings are white, and the keel is greenish, 10-14 mm long, and spirally incurved 1.5-2 turns.  The fruits are falcate- or lanceolate-oblong, compressed, apiculate, glabrous or pilose, usually 5-12 x 1.5-2.5 cm and with (2-) 3 or 4 seeds which are mostly white or purple but very variable in color, reniform, 10-30 x 8-17 x 5-8 mm, with a whitish hilum 2.5-4 mm long"  (Smith, 1985; pp. 249-250).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "cultivated from near sea level to about 800 m and also locally naturalized in fairly dry areas or sometimes in woods along streams" (Smith, 1985; pp. 249-250).  In Tonga, "occasional in disturbed areas" (Whistler, 1988; p. 26).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Tropical or subtropical America"  (Smith, 1985; pp. 249-250).

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   Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Saipan
Saipan Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 116)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Saipan
Saipan Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1950) (voucher ID: PTBG 23796)
Taxon name on voucher: Phaseolus lunatus
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Floreana Group
Floreana Island introduced
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Isabela Island introduced
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group
Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island introduced
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
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
Yap Islands
Yap (Waqab) Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 116)
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 249-250)
Vouchers cited: Greenwood 284, 285A, 284B; Smith 6292
Locally naturalized.
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Tahiti Island introduced
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Cultivée
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
cultivated
Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 340)
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 116)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands   Flynn, Tim (year unknown)
Marshall Islands
Ralik Chain
Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 116)
Marshall Islands
Ralik Chain
Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll   Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
New Caledonia
Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)
Île Lifou introduced
cultivated
abo. intro.
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 87)
Voucher cited: MacKee 44786
New Caledonia
Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)
Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll) introduced
cultivated
abo. intro.
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 87)
Vouchers cited: Däniker 2125, Blanchon 1552 (NOU), Schmid 2322
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
invasive
cultivated
abo. intro.
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 87)
Vouchers cited: Pancher s.n. s.loc., MacKee 12285
Spontané
New Zealand (offshore islands)
Kermadec Islands
Raoul Island introduced
invasive
Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 125)
New Zealand (offshore islands)
Kermadec Islands
Raoul Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 673)
"locally established as an escape from cultivation on roadside banks on Raoul".
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island   Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 29)
Papua New Guinea
Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago   Verdcourt, B. (1979)
Papua New Guinea
Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Papua New Guinea
Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago   Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 257)
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)   Verdcourt, B. (1979)
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
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Philippines
Philippine Islands
Philippine Islands introduced
invasive
cultivated
Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (pp. 318-319)
Thoroughly naturalized and common in thickets at low and medium altitudes, ascending to 2,000 m; some forms cultivated.
Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Island introduced
cultivated
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Cultivée
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands introduced
cultivated
Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 98)
Tonga
Tongatapu Group
Tongatapu Island   Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 26)
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 (2013)
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim)
Costa Rica (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim)
Guatemala (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim)
Honduras (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim)
Nicaragua (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim)
Panama (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China
China
China (People's Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia (Republic of) introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Indonesia
Indonesia
West Papua Province (Indonesia) (western New Guinea Island) (formerly Irian Jaya) introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Japan
Japan
Japan introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Japan
Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico (United Mexican States) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim)
Colombia native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim)
Ecuador (Republic of) (continental) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim)
Perú (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand (Kingdom of) 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
invasive
cultivated
Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 123)
Comoros
Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Maldives
Maldive Islands
Maldive Islands introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Maldives
Maldive Islands
Malè Atoll   Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 21)
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
Groupe d'Aldabra introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands
Seychelles Islands introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands
Seychelles Islands introduced
Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Phaseolus lunatus, please let us know.


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 1 SEP 2002 and was last updated on 21 OCT 2006.