Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Stylosanthes guianensis
(Aubl.) Sw., Fabaceae
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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Reject, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
High risk, score: 11 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))

Other Latin names:  Stylosanthes erecta Beauv.; Stylosanthes gracilis Kunth; Stylosanthes guineensis Schumacher; Trifolium guianense Aublet

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: gui ya na bi hua dou

English: Brazilian lucerne, Nigerian stylo, stylo, tropical lucerne

Maori (Cook Islands): mauku puakatoro, tūtae puakatoro

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herbs or shrublets, 60-100 cm tall, erect or rarely climbing. Stems glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Stipules sheathing, 0.4-2.5 cm. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole short; petiolules ca. 1 mm; leaflet blades ovate, elliptic, or lanceolate, 0.5-3 (-4.5) x 0.2-1 (-2) cm, glabrous, sparsely villous, or setose, base cuneate, margin sometimes sinuate, apex acute to cuspidate. Inflorescences 1-1.5 cm, with 2-40 clustered flowers, each flower without a rudimentary axis; primary bracts 1-2.2 cm, densely long spreading setose; secondary bracts 2.5-5.5 x ca. 0.8 mm. Bracteoles 2-4.5 mm. Hypanthium 4-8 mm. Calyx tube ellipsoid to oblong, 3-5 x 1-1.5 mm. Corolla orangish yellow, with red slender striations; standard 4-8 x 3-5 mm. Legume ovoid, 2-3 x ca. 1.8 mm, glabrous or near apex pubescent, with 1 article, beak 0.1-0.5 mm and inflexed. Seeds grayish brown, oblate-ellipsoid, ca. 2.2 x 1.5 mm"  (Flora of China online).

"Perennial herb or subshrub, usually erect, to 1.5 m high... The dense inflorescences, to 1.5 cm long, are 2-40-flowered, lacking an axis rudiment; the calyx lobes are 3-5 mm long, shorter than the calyx tube; the standard is orange-yellow and red-streaked, the wings are yellow, and the keel petals are greenish; and the fruit article is 2-3 x 1.5-2.5 mm, with an enflexed beak 0.1-0.8 mm long" (Smith, 1985; pp. 258-259).

Habitat/ecology:  "Grow on a wide range of soils including lighter, poorer quality soils.  Suited to warm humid areas with high rainfall.  Establish on disturbed sites, along roadsides and around settlements." (Smith, 2002; pp. 65-66).

In New Caledonia, "introduit comme fourrage, devenu assez répandu en dehors des pâturages" (MacKee, 1994; p. 90).

Propagation:  "Large amounts of seed produced and dispersed by stock and animal movement, as a contaminant of hay, and by vehicles and machinery, e.g. slashers and graders" (Smith, 2002; pp. 65-66).

Native range:  Central and South America, now widely introduced into other tropical areas and sometimes naturalized.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
‘Atiu Island   McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
‘Atiu Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 83)
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
‘Atiu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 665007)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
‘Atiu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 665008)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.
Cook Islands
Southern Cook Islands
Ma‘uke Island   McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island introduced
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 258-259)
Vouchers cited: DA 5965, DA 9529, FDA 13031, DA 11818 (L.5742)
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1956) (voucher ID: BISH 14549)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis var. guianensis
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1949) (voucher ID: BISH 14550)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis var. guianensis
Fiji
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1951) (voucher ID: BISH 14551)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis var. guianensis
French Polynesia
Society Islands
Tahiti Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Adventice
French Polynesia
Austral (Tubuai) Islands
Tubuai Island introduced
invasive
Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Voucher cited: J. Florence & W.R. Sykes 11128 (PAP)
Adventice
French Polynesia
Austral (Tubuai) Islands
Tubuai Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 643939)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 38)
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 595866)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Kaua‘i Island introduced
invasive
Herbst, Derral R./Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 8)
Vouchers Cited: T. Flynn & L. Hume 1328 (BISH), T. Flynn & L. Hume 1614 (BISH)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Moloka‘i Island introduced
invasive
Herbst, Derral R./Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 8)
Vouchers cited: M. Evans M-61 (BISH), M. Evans M-62 (BISH), M. Evans M-63 (BISH); var. intermedia (Vogel) Hassler, voucher cited: M. Evans M-112 (BISH)
Nauru
Nauru Island
Nauru Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 119)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
invasive
cultivated
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 90)
Vouchers cited: Blanchon 278 (NOU), MacKee 23750, MacKee 28592, MacKee 31315, MacKee 34163, Cherrier in MacKee 35478, Cherrier in MacKee 35925, Toutain 3566 (NOU)
Niue
Niue
Niue Island introduced
cultivated
Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 160)
Voucher cited: CHR 189783
Niue
Niue
Niue Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 25)
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island introduced
invasive
Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 86)
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 21)
Extensively seeded along the Compact Road. Voucher: Lorence 9818 (PTBG, BNM, NY, BISH, US)
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island   Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1981) (voucher ID: BNM 3022)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis cv.? Cook
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island   Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1981) (voucher ID: BNM 3102)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) SW. cv.
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group)
Babeldaob Island   National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 111)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. var. var. guianensis
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island) introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Samoa
Western Samoa Islands
Upolu Island   Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 83907)
Taxon name on voucher: Stylosanthes guianensis var. guianensis
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands introduced
cultivated
Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 111)
Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands
Wallis (‘Uvea) Island introduced
invasive
Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 36)
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)
Northern Territory introduced
invasive
cultivated
Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (pp. 65-66)
Australia
Australia (continental)
Queensland introduced
invasive
cultivated
Smith, Nicholas M. (2002) (pp. 65-66)
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)
El Salvador (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
invasive
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
"Cultivated and naturalized in Guangdong".
China
China
Hong Kong introduced
cultivated
Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 154)
Forage, green manure.
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia (Republic of) introduced
ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico (United Mexican States) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) introduced
invasive
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 82)
Naturalised
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)
Perú (Republic of) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan
Taiwan Island
Taiwan Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
"Cultivated and naturalized".
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 (2013)
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)

Comments:  In the past, this species has been used for soil stabilization. However, due to its invasive nature, it is not recommended for use on Pacific islands.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Stylosanthes guianensis, 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 JAN 1999 and was last updated on 14 DEC 2010.