Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir., 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: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Agati grandiflora Desv.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: caturay, katurai

Chinese: da hua tian jing

English: corkwood tree, hummingbird tree, scarlet wisteria, sesban, vegetable hummingbird

French: agati a grandes fleurs

Hawaiian: ohai ke‘oke‘o

Palauan: katurai

Pohnpeian: pakphul

Samoan: sepania

Tahitian: afai, ofai, ouai, oufai

Tamil: agathi, agati

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Trees, 4-10 m tall, d.b.h. to 25 cm. Branches terete, leaf scars and stipule scars conspicuous. Stipules obliquely lanceolate, to 8 mm, caducous. Leaves 20-40 cm, 20-60-foliolate; rachis terete, densely appressed pubescent when young, glabrescent; petiolules 1-2 mm; stipels acerose; leaflet blades oblong, 2-5 x 0.8-1.6 cm, smaller at both ends of rachis than in middle, both surfaces with or without dense appressed purplish brown glands and appressed villous but glabrescent, secondary veins 7 or 8 on each side of midvein but inconspicuous, base rounded to broadly cuneate, apex obtuse to retuse and with a mucro. Racemes 4-7 cm, pendulous, 2-4-flowered; bract and bracteoles ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 7-10 mm, caducous, both surfaces appressed pubescent. Flowers 7-10 cm, conspicuously falcately curved in bud. Pedicel 1-2 cm, densely appressed pilose. Calyx green, campanulate, 1.8-2.9 x 1.5-2 cm, sometimes with dots, often sub-bilabiate to subtruncate with adaxial 2 teeth connate, outside glabrous except for teeth apex, inside with appressed hairs. Corolla white, pink, or rosy; standard oblong-obovate to broadly ovate, 5-7.5 x 3.5-5 cm, reflexed at anthesis, callus absent, claw ca. 1.6 cm, base subcordate, apex retuse; wings falcately long ovate, asymmetric, ca. 5 x 2 cm, claw ca. 2 cm, apex obtuse; keel curved, ca. 5 cm, claw ca. 2 cm, limbs with basal abaxial edges connate, apical 1/4-1/3 free, apex obtuse. Stamens ca. 9 mm; anthers linear, 4-5 mm, dorsifixed. Pistil linear, ca. 8 cm, compressed, falcately curved, glabrous; ovary stipitate; stigma slightly turgid. Legume linear, slightly curved, nodding, 20-60 cm x 7-8 mm, ca. 8 mm thick, dehiscent, carpopodium ca. 5 cm, suture angulate at maturity, apex tapering into a 3-4 cm beak. Seeds reddish brown, ellipsoid to subreniform, ca. 6 x 3-4 mm, slightly compressed, turgid, slightly glossy; hilum rounded, retuse"  (Flora of China online).

"Small, open-branched tree with drooping branches; rarely much over 5-6 m tall; bark thick, gray, cracked; leaves to 30 cm long, glaucous; leaflets 20-40 pairs, oblong, obtuse, about 2-3 cm long; inflorescences lax axillary racemes; flowers white or deep pink, quite large, 7-8 (even 9) cm long; pods pendent, slender cylindric, green, many-seeded, 25-55 cm long, edible when young"  (Stone, 1970; pp. 343-344).

Habitat/ecology:  Cultivated as an ornamental but has a tendency to naturalize.  In Fiji, "cultivated near sea level in gardens and villages, and also occasionally naturalized"  (Smith, 1985; pp. 176-177). In New Caledonia, "cette espèce ornementale est probablement d'introduction européenne. Assez commun aujourd'hui dans les jardins, rarement spontané dans des terrains vagues" (MacKee, 1994; p. 90).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Indo-malaysian (Smith, 1985; pp. 176-177).

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 invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 7)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1961) (voucher ID: BISH 155776) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 38)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 118)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 155761) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 12)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 12)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 118)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 79)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 97)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 660541) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1998) (voucher ID: PTBG 47856) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1980) (voucher ID: PTBG 22518) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ngau Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 176-177) Voucher cited: Smith, 7996 Occasionally naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ngau Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 155773) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ngau Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 155774) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 176-177) Vouchers cited: DA 12251, DA 12098 Occasionally naturalized.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 6920 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 40859) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 54)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1981) (voucher ID: PTBG 23245) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 164) Vouchers cited: Florence 5275
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 54)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 54)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5275 (PAP) Naturalisé. Ornementale.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 492307) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 659648) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 164) Vouchers cited: Florence 5275, Fosberg 64442
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3381 (PAP), J. Florence 3381b (PAP) Naturalisée. Ornementale commune à Tahiti.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493547) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1985) (voucher ID: BISH 598110) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1982) (voucher ID: PTBG 23244) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Hao (Hau) Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence (legit M. Guérin) 9259 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Raro‘ia Atoll	introduced cultivated	Doty, Maxwell S. (1954) (p. 40)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (pp. 343-344) Voucher cited: Stone 3784 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 118)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1900) (voucher ID: BISH 155759) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1912) (voucher ID: BISH 155760) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (year unknown) (voucher ID: BISH 155762) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1961) (voucher ID: BISH 155763) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 659651) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1958) (voucher ID: BISH 659652) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1966) (voucher ID: BISH 659653) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1966) (voucher ID: PTBG 22747) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1966) (voucher ID: PTBG 22748) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 704)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 101)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	uncertain if native invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 90) Vouchers cited: Blanchon 818 (NOU), MacKee 25573, MacKee 28835 Spontané
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 402025) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 14, 86)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 20)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 118)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 14, 82)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1966) (voucher ID: BNM 482) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1974) (voucher ID: BNM 10050) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 14, 82)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Palau Rock Islands (Chelbacheb)	Ngerchong Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 7)
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) (p. 281) In the settled areas at low and medium altitudes, often planted.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 11) Naturalized.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 11) Naturalized.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417682) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 109)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 69)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 139) Cited: Crosby.
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Burkill, I. H. (1900) (p. 33)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-13)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Wake Islands	Wake Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Wake Islands	Wake Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1994) (voucher ID: BISH 659971) Taxon name on voucher: Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 153) Ornamental.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	uncertain if native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 79) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (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 cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 127)
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	introduced	Williams, D. G. (1994) (p. 23)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced	Topp, J. M. W. (1988) (p. 6)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (p. 34)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Rivers, Julie (2004) (pp. 4, 7)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced	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)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)

Comments:  The white-flowered form is naturalizing around locations where it has been planted in American Samoa (Tutuila) (Space & Flynn, 2000).  Appears to be naturalizing extensively in Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Sesbania grandiflora, please let us know.