Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Evaluate, score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
High risk, score: 17 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))

Other Latin names:  Dolichos phaseoloides Roxb.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: san lie ye ye ge

English: puero, tropical kudzu

Kwara‘ae: fa‘i sa‘a, kwalo sa‘a

Maori (Cook Islands): kūtū

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Herbaceous vines. Stem slender, 2-4 m, brownish hirsute. Stipules basifixed, ovate-lanceolate, 3-5 mm; stipels linear, 2-3 mm; leaflets broadly ovate, rhomboid, or ovate-rhomboid, terminal one broader, 6-10 x 4.5-9 cm, lateral ones smaller, oblique, entire or 3-lobed, abaxially densely white hirsute, adaxially adpressed hirsute. Racemes solitary, 8-15 cm or more. Bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 3-4 mm, hirsute. Flowers with short pedicels, clustered at slightly distant nodes. Calyx ca. 6 mm, pilose; lower tooth as long as tube, apex hirsute, others deltoid, shorter than tube. Corolla bluish or lilac; standard suborbicular, 8-12 mm, base with 2 incurved auricles; wings obovate-oblong, slightly longer than keel, one side of base with rounded auricle, claw slender; keel falcate, apex with short beak, base truncate, clawed. Ovary linear, thinly hairy. Legumes subcylindric, 5-8 cm x ca. 4 mm, first adpressed hirsute, later subglabrous. Seeds 15-20, oblong-elliptic, subtruncate at both ends, ca. 4 mm"  (Flora of China online).

var. javanica:  "Climbing, perennial shrub; stems slender, 2-10 m long, rusty-hairy; roots tuberous. Leaflets rhombic to ovate, 3-15 cm long, cuneate to rounded at base, entire or slightly sinuate, acute, mucronate, appressed-hairy; lateral leaflets unequal-sided; petiole 3-11 cm long. Pseudoracemes 15-30 cm long; flowers mostly in clusters; pedicels 2-5 mm long. Calyx tube 3-4 mm long, pubescent; upper 2 teeth connate almost to apex; lateral teeth obtuse. Petals purple, margins white; standard broadly elliptic, ca 18 mm long, auriculate at base; wings ariculate and lobed at base; keel falcate, acute. Fruit linear, 5-10 cm long, septate, slightly compressed, pubescent, dark grey. Seeds 14-20, barrel-shaped, brown; hilum circular" (Du Puy, 1993).

Habitat/ecology:  Naturalizes along roadsides and moist disturbed areas. In New Caledonia, "introduit comme plante de couverture; ainsi utilisé à présent en quelques caféières à ombrage réduit de la côte Est" (MacKee, 1994; p. 89).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Indochina, Malesia, the Philippines, New Guinea and the Pacific Islands (Du Puy, 1993).

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) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 664480) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 664481) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 665013) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 665014) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 665015) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) var. javanica
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Wolf Island	Wolf Island	introduced	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 227-228) Vouchers cited: DA 16682, DA L.15607 Perhaps very sparingly naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 32867) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 227-228) Vouchers cited: DA 6001, DA 8304, DA 8487 (FDA 13471) Perhaps very sparingly naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1954) (voucher ID: BISH 14559) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1988) (voucher ID: PTBG 8785) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 492603) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 491362) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) "Plante de couverture, se naturalise". Voucher cited: J. Florence 7726 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1986) (voucher ID: BISH 545420) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 38)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1982) (voucher ID: PTBG 23797) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2008) (p. 7) Voucher cited: D. Frohlich & A. Lau 2007081708 (BISH)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 89) Vouchers cited: MacKee 40812, Veillon 6002 Spontané
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (pp. 159-160) Cultivated? Presence not verified. Vouchers cited: CHR 150552, CHR 150551
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 25)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 46)
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	introduced invasive cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 255) Introduced for ground cover and weed control.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 311) In open grasslands and in thickets at low and medium altitudes.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 83835) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 83895) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1989) (voucher ID: PTBG 3007) Taxon name on voucher: Pueraria phaseoloides
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced invasive cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 104)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced invasive cultivated	Shine, C./Reaser, J. K./Gutierrez, A. T., eds. (2003) (p. 166) Moderate invader.

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)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 299)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Thickets of mountainous and hilly areas".
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 152)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	probably native	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 68, 78)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 74) Naturalised
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	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	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Thickets of mountainous and hilly areas".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (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. 125) var. javanica Possibly naturalized.
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
India (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Andaman Islands	Andaman Islands	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	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)

Comments:  Recently found on Guam (John Lawrence, pers. com.).

Reported present in Hawai‘i on USDA PLANTS database.

Previously reported cultivated on Niue (Sykes, 1970; pp. 159-160) but not seen in May 2000 (Space & Flynn, 2000).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Pueraria phaseoloides, please let us know.