Paraserianthes lophantha (Willd.) I. C. Nielsen, Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10.5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Albizia distachya (Vent.) J. F. Macbr.; Albizia lophantha (Willd.) Benth.; Albizia montana (Jungh.) Benth.; Inga montana Jungh.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: brush wattle, plume acacia, plume albizia, stink bean

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Tree with velvety puberulent branchlets, leaf-rachi and peduncles, the petioles with a gland toward the base; pinnae 8-10 pairs with 20-40 pairs of oblong obtusish leaflets 6-8 mm long, about 2 mm broad, usually sparsely appressed-pilose at least beneath, the mi-nerve excentric; spikes axillary, shortly peduncled, 3-10 cm long, more than 3 cm thick including the stamens, the crowded flowers distinctly pedicelled, silky-pilose, the calyx 2 mm the corolla 5 mm long; stamen tube scarcely longer than the calyx; pods 6-10 cm long, 12-18 mm broad, glabrous" (Macbride, 1943).

"Shrub, small tree.  Leaves evergreen; petiole with a gland; primary leaflets 7-15 pairs; secondary leaflets more or less 25 pairs, less than 1 cm. Flowers greenish yellow.  Fruit indehiscent or slowly dehiscent, 5-10 cm, oblong, flat except over seeds, barely narrowed between seeds, glabrous, brown"  (Hickman, 1993; p. 583).

Habitat/ecology:  "Grass- and heathland, riparian habitats, forests, coastal beaches.  This tree grows commonly on moist soils of mountain slopes.  The tree is nitrogen-fixing and increases soil fertility levels.  It is fast growing with annual height increments exceeding 2 m under favorable conditions.  It forms dense stands that shade out native species and impede overstorey regeneration"  (Weber, 2003; p. 301).  "Generally disturbed, coastal, urban areas; up to 300 m" (Hickman, 1993; p. 583).  "Shrubland, disturbed forest, riverbanks, coastal fringes, gumland, short tussockland, and bare land. Tolerates high to low rainfall, poor soils, salt, wind, and low fertility (fixes nitrogen)"  (Weedbusters New Zealand). 

"In Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:  Coastal areas, 0-500 m.  Dry, arid areas, with long drought periods of 6-10 months. Precipitations of 100 mm-300 mm. are concentrated in winter. Fully exposed to the sun, level areas or slopes facing north; exposed, but with protection from direct sun through coastal fog (camanchaca)"  (Chileflora).

Propagation:  "The long-lived seeds are dispersed by birds and ants.  The tree does not coppice after fire, but fire may promote the spread by stimulating germination"  (Weber, 2003; p. 301).  "Contaminated soil and gravel, fresh and salt water movement all spread seeds. Common seed sources are hedgerows, shelterbelts, gardens, roadsides, and waste areas"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Native range:  Southwestern Australia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) "introduced and now reproducing itself spontaneously". Vouchers cited: W.R. Sykes NI 545 (CHR), G. Uhe 1191 (K)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 550)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 690) Subsp. Montana. Planted and reproducing, but not yet spreading. Reproducing from planted trees.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 690) Subsp. Montana. Planted and reproducing, but not yet spreading. Reproducing from planted trees.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 8) Subsp. Montana. East Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H70074 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer H70077 (BISH, PTBG) Reproducing from planted trees. Well established and locally abundant.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 690) Subsp. Montana. Planted and reproducing, but not yet spreading. Reproducing from planted trees.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 690) Subsp. Montana. Planted and reproducing, but not yet spreading. Reproducing from planted trees.

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)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) Native to southwestern Western Australia, naturalized in New South Wales.
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) Native to southwestern Western Australia, naturalized elsewhere.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Also subsp. Montana.
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 702) "Waste places, scrubland, riverbanks and coastal sites".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced	Belov, Michail (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
South Africa South Africa	South Africa (Republic of)	introduced	Henderson, Lesley (1995)

Comments:  A noxious weed in South Africa. Extensively planted in Hawai‘i and reproducing (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 690).

Control: 

Physical:  "Hand pull or dig small plants (all year round). Ensure minimum soil disturbance.

Chemical:  1. Cut and squirt trees (all year round): Make 1 cut every 100 mm around the trunk and saturate each cut with 5 ml undiluted triclopyr 600 EC (5ml).
2. Frilling:  glyphosate (250ml/L).
3. Injection method (all year round):  drill holes sloping into the sapwood at regular intervals around the tree.  As each hole is drilled saturate with glyphosate (250ml/L) or metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (3g) or triclopyr 600EC (10ml undiluted). 
4. Stump swab (all year round): metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (5g/L) or triclopyr 600 EC (50ml/L).
5. Spray (spring-summer): glyphosate (10ml/L) or triclopyr 600 EC (30ml/10L)"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).