Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Albizia lebbeck


RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: High risk, score: 7


Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.

Research directed by C. Daehler (UH Botany) with funding from the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Program and US Forest Service

Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment

Albizia lebbeck

Answer

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

N

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=-1, n=-1

Y

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

N

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

See Append 2

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

2

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y=1, n=0

Y

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

Y

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

?=-1, n=0

Y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

Y

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

N

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

N

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

Y

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

N

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

N

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

N

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

N

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

N

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

N

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

N

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

N

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

Y

4.1

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

Y

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

N

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

N

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

N

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

N

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

Y

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

N

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

N

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

Y

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

N

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

N

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

N

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

4

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

Y

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

N

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

N

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

N

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

N

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

N

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

Y

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

y

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

Y

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

7

Supporting data:

Source

Notes

1.01

Did not find any reference to the species being a cultivar.

1.02

Steentoft, M. 1988. Flowering plants in west Africa. Cambridge University Press. New York.

…originally introduced but now naturalized and associated with farmland and villages.'

1.03

Did not find any reference to the species having weedy sub-species, cultivars or varieties.

2.01

McCann C. 1959. 100 beautiful trees of India. D. B. Taraporevala sons and Co. private Ltd.

Distribution: tropical and subtropical Asia… .'

2.02

Hocking D, 1993. Trees for drylands. 1993, xiii + 370 pp.; Originally published by Oxford & IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India; 12 pp. of ref. FC cd rom

has wide natural occurrence, from wet tropical to dry deciduous forests, grows in regions with rainfall from 600 to 2500 mm, tolerates temperatures from -5 C to 49 C. Altitude range is from 0 to 1100 m.

2.03

Hocking D, 1993. Trees for drylands. 1993, xiii + 370 pp.; Originally published by Oxford & IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India; 12 pp. of ref. FC cd rom

has wide natural occurrence, from wet tropical to dry deciduous forests, grows in regions with rainfall from 600 to 2500 mm, tolerates temperatures from -5 C to 49 C. Altitude range is from 0 to 1100 m.

2.04

McCann C. 1959. 100 beautiful trees of India. D. B. Taraporevala sons and Co. private Ltd.

Distribution: tropical and subtropical Asia… .'

2.05

FC compendium, CD rom.

3.01

Steentoft, M. 1988. Flowering plants in west Africa. Cambridge University Press. New York.

…originally introduced but now naturalized and associated with farmland and villages.'

3.02

Not mentioned in Holm's 'World weeds'

3.03

Did not find any reference on the species being controlled in forestry and agricultural.

3.04

University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/albleb.html

invading tropical hammocks in the Florida Keys. Seedlings now occurring in great numbers throughout Big Cypress National Preserve. Invading somewhat disturbed pinelands of Everglades National Park

3.05

Lorenzi, H. J. & Jeffery L.S.1987. Weeds of the United States and their control. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc, New York.

Albizzia julibrissin: This weedy tree may be found growing in disturbed areas, fences rows, roadsides and pastures.' Several control methods have been suggested.

4.01

Saldanha, C. J. 1984. Flora of Karnataka. Oxford and IBH publishing company. New Delhi.

Unarmed tree.' None of these structures are reported to be present.

4.02

Lowry JB, Prinsen JH, Burrows DM, Gutteridge RC (ed), Shelton HM, 1994. Albizia lebbeck - a promising forage tree for semiarid regions. Forage-tree-legumes-in-tropical-agriculture. 1994, 75-83; 24 ref.

Did not find any reference to this species being allelopathic. The canopy region below the tree supports the growth of grasses - '…dry matter yields below the tree were much higher than between trees.

4.03

Did not find any references to this species being parasitic.

4.04

Lowry JB, Prinsen JH, Burrows DM, Gutteridge RC (ed), Shelton HM, 1994. Albizia lebbeck - a promising forage tree for semiarid regions. Forage-tree-legumes-in-tropical-agriculture. 1994, 75-83; 24 ref.

seedlings cannot establish under continuous grazing by cattle H18 H18 -bats and rabbits feed on it too - fallen flowers and pods can also be used as feed -leaf is of high digestibility early in the season…

4.05

Lowry JB, Prinsen JH, Burrows DM, Gutteridge RC (ed), Shelton HM, 1994. Albizia lebbeck - a promising forage tree for semiarid regions. Forage-tree-legumes-in-tropical-agriculture. 1994, 75-83; 24 ref.

Leaves of siris are remarkably free of toxins and tannins and low in soluble phenolic compounds.'

4.06

NOT RECOGNISED CD

4.07

Tripathi RM, Sen PC, Das PK, 1979. Further studies in the mechanism of the anti-anaphylactic action of Albizia lebbeck an Indian indigenous drug. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1: 397-406.

This plant is used in the Indian system of 'Ayurvedic' medicine to treat bronchial asthma, eczema and insect bites. The paper discusses the chemical basis to the medicinal properties.

4.08

Gupta RK, 1993. Multipurpose trees for agroforestry and wasteland utilisation. 1993, xv + 562 pp.; 18 pp. of ref + refs in text.

No direct reference to being a fire hazard. 'Even light fire kills the tree.'

4.09

Gupta RK, 1993. Multipurpose trees for agroforestry and wasteland utilisation. 1993, xv + 562 pp.; 18 pp. of ref + refs in text.

 

Though a strong light demander, the seedlings can withstand shade during the first year.' '…germination may be delayed due to shade…'

4.1

Hocking D, 1993. Trees for drylands. 1993, xiii + 370 pp.; Originally published by Oxford & IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India; 12 pp. of ref.

grows on wide variety of soils, prefers well drained loam, grows on clay & black cotton soil, can tolerate high soil content.

4.11

(1)Nelson. G. 1994. The Trees of Florida. Pineapple press Inc. (2) Bose, T. K., P. Das, & G.G. Maiti. 1998. Trees of the World. Regional Plant Resource Center.

(1)'Deciduous tree to about 12 m high.' (not a vine). No reference found to its smothering habit.(2) 'A large deciduous tree…'

4.12

Did not find any reference for the species forming dense thickets in natural habitats.

5.01

5.02

5.03

Kadiata BD, Mulongoy K, Isirimah NO, 1996. Time course of biological nitrogen fixation, nitrogen absorption and biomass accumulation in three woody legumes. Biological-Agriculture-and-Horticulture. 1996, 13: 3, 253-266; 23 ref.

A. lebbeck is a nitrogen fixing woody legume. The amount of nitrogen fixed increases with the age of the plant.

5.04

6.01

No reference of reproductive failure

6.02

No reference on non-viability of seeds

6.03

No reference on hybridization under natural conditions.

6.04

No information

6.05

Lowry JB, Prinsen JH, Burrows DM, Gutteridge RC (ed), Shelton HM, 1994. Albizia lebbeck - a promising forage tree for semiarid regions. Forage-tree-legumes-in-tropical-agriculture. 1994, 75-83; 24 ref.

Flowers are insect pollinated.'

6.06

Gupta RK, 1993. Multipurpose trees for agroforestry and wasteland utilisation. 1993, xv + 562 pp.; 18 pp. of ref + refs in text.

The tree can also be 'propagated' by stem cuttings or root shoot cuttings.' But there is no reference about the ability of this species to spread without seeds.

6.07

Dr. Rich Criley, UH Department of Horticulture, personal communication

7.01

Gupta RK, 1993. Multipurpose trees for agroforestry and wasteland utilisation. 1993, xv + 562 pp.; 18 pp. of ref + refs in text.

Grown as avenue tree along roadsides. But seeds are hard and large, so they are unlikely to attach or be moved unintentionally by people.

7.02

Grown for landscaping

7.03

7.04

Gravity dispersal, no clear adapatation for wind

Seeds 4-12, ellipsoidal-oblong, flat, depressions on the faces, pale brown. The seeds as such do not have any mechanism by which they be carried far by wind. Seeds are contained within a pod that dehisces while on the tree and the seeds are released. Sometimes the entire pod falls to the ground and the seeds germinate when the pod disintegrates.

7.05

7.06

7.07

The seeds do not have hooks, are neither sticky - do not have any mechanism to attach on to people and or cars.

7.08

Lowry JB, Prinsen JH, Burrows DM, Gutteridge RC (ed), Shelton HM, 1994. Albizia lebbeck - a promising forage tree for semiarid regions. Forage-tree-legumes-in-tropical-agriculture. 1994, 75-83; 24 ref.

Some seed passes through the intestinal tract of cattle but not of smaller ruminants.'

8.01

Hocking D, 1993. Trees for drylands. 1993, xiii + 370 pp.; Originally published by Oxford & IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India; 12 pp. of ref.

BORDERLINE 'There are about 7000-12,000 seeds /kg. The species is a prolific seeder with seeds produced every year:..' BUT only 4-12 seeds per pod.

8.02

Hard seeded legume seeds are known to survive more than 1 year

8.03

No reference on attempts to control this species.

8.04

Gupta RK, 1993. Multipurpose trees for agroforestry and wasteland utilisation. 1993, xv + 562 pp.; 18 pp. of ref + refs in text. Rawat K, Joshi AP, 1995. Tree structure, lopping pressure and regeneration in a riverine forest of Garhwal Himalaya. Journal of Hill Research, 8: 259-264.Lowry JB, Prinsen JH, Burrows DM, Gutteridge RC (ed), Shelton HM, 1994. Albizia lebbeck - a promising forage tree for semiarid regions. Forage-tree-legumes-in-tropical-agriculture. 1994, 75-83; 24 ref. 

It sprouts root suckers vigorously on root injury'. The tree is negatively affected by lopping. Seed formation is reduced in lopped trees. 'Reserves in the root system enable young plants to survive total defoliation from fire or grazing, but with obvious setback to growth.'

8.05

unknown


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This page updated 23 February 2005.