Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Acacia stipulata DC.; Albizia marginata (Lam.) Merr.; Albizia stipulata(Roxb.) Boivin; Mimosa chinensis Osbeck

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: ying shu

English: Chinese albizia, silktree

French: albizia de Chine

Samoan: tamaligi, tamalini

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Trees up to 20 m tall.  Leaves with 4-14 pairs of pinnae, leaflets 20-30 pairs per pinna, asymmetrical with the midrib strongly eccentric near one of the margins, 6-10 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, apex acute, with a nectary on the rachis just below each pair of pinnae, stipules up to 1.5 cm long and 3 cm wide.  Flowers 8-12 mm long (central one larger), in heads 20-25 mm in diameter (excluding stamens), these usually in wide terminal panicles, sometimes reduced to 3-4 peduncles clustered in the leaf axils; corolla white; stamens up to 30 mm long. Pods flat, 10-17 cm long, 1.7-3.5 cm wide, indehiscent.  Seeds ellipsoid, laterally flattened, ca. 7 mm long and 4-5 in diameter, distinctly median (remote from sutures), with a small basal pleurogram ca. 1 mm in diameter"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 644).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "documented only from low elevation, disturbed areas" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 644).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southern and southeastern Asia; cultivated in the tropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence (legit M. Gu*#233;rin) 6586 (PAP) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 491055) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 493040) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral (1998) (p. 3) Voucher cited: Herbst 9794 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 644)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 77) Vouchers cited: MacKee 11925, MacKee 17641
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1967) (voucher ID: BISH 664582) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 246) In thickets and open forests at low and medium altitudes.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 5)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 5) Voucher: Flynn 6941 (PTBG, US, SAMOA)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 83903) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417726) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1974) (voucher ID: BISH 418201) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 307) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2000) (voucher ID: PTBG 42981) Taxon name on voucher: Albizia chinensis

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)	native	Hanum/I. Faridah/Van der Maesen, L.J.G, eds. (1997) (p. 63)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Forests and open fields; sea level to 1000 m".
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 130)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Native: Java, Kalimantan, Lesser Sunda Islands; uncertain if native: Sumatra
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Sabah, Sarawak
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 11) Cultivated only
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Timor-Leste Timor-Leste	East Timor Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
India (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Andaman Islands	Andaman Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
India (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Nicobar Islands	Nicobar Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced invasive	Vos, P. (2004) (p. 7)

Comments:  A major invasive species in Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Albizia chinensis, please let us know.