Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W. Wight, Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 9 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Albizia fastigiata (E. Mey.) Oliv.; Mimosa adianthifolia Schumach.; Zygia fastigiata E. Mey.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: flat-crown, rough-barked flat-top, West African albizzia

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree (2.5) 4-30 m. high; crown flattened; bark grey to yellowish-brown and rough (rarely smooth in our area); young branchlets densely rather coarsely and persistently rusty- to fulvous-pubescent; pubescence sometimes becoming grey as the branchlet ages. Leaves: pinnae 5-8 pairs (rarely only 3 on occasional reduced leaves), each pinna ± narrowing upwards; leaflets of 2 distal pairs of pinnae (8) 9-17 pairs, mostly c. 7-17 (24) x 4-9 (15) mm., obliquely rhombic-quadrate or -oblong; proximal margin at base usually ± rounded into the pulvinus but not auriculate; apex of leaflet usually obtuse and mucronate, sometimes subacute, surface of leaflet thinly pubescent above, rather plentifully pubescent all over beneath, raised venation beneath close. Stipules and bracts at base of peduncles c. 5-12 x 3-6 (8) mm., ovate. Peduncles clothed as the young branchlets; bracteoles variably persistent, 5-8 mm. long, exceeding the flower-buds, linear-spathulate to oblanceolate. Flowers subsessile; pedicels pubescent, 0.5-1 (2) mm. long. Calyx 2.5-5 (rarely only 2) mm. long, pubescent outside. Corolla 6-11 mm. long, white or greenish-white, pubescent outside. Staminal tube exserted c. 1.3-2.5 cm. beyond the corolla, red to wholly greenish or pink. Pod dehiscent. 9-19 x 1.9-3.4 (4.3) cm., usually pale brown, oblong, flat or slightly transversely plicate, ± densely and persistently pubescent, not glossy, prominently venose. Seeds 7-9.5 x 6.5-8.5 mm., flattened"  (Flora Zambesiaca online).

Habitat/ecology:  In tropical Africa (native), "wide range of habitats (ecotypes may be recognizable). Edge of evergreen forest; rain-forest; deciduous woodland; wooded grassland; mainly in regrowth forest; humid land; fallow places; sometimes abundant; near sea-level to 1680 m altitude"  In Madagascar, "Humid, Subhumid; Grassland, Wooded Grassland, Woodland, Forest, Anthropic; 0-1499 m"  (African Plants Database online).  In Zimbabwe (native), "in forest and woodland"; also cultivated  (Flora of Zimbabwe online).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical Africa (GRIN).

Additional information:
Information on the Agroforestree Database.

Additional online information about Albizia adianthifolia is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Albizia adianthifolia as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Albizia adianthifolia may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève/South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. 2012. African Plants Database (online resource).

Hyde, M. A./Wursten, B. T./Ballings, P. 2012. Flora of Zimbabwe. (online resource).

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2012. Flora Zambesiaca (online resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.