Bauhinia vahlii Wight & Arn., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: camel's foot climber, malu-creeper

Habit:  vine

Description:  "A huge climber, branches densely hairy, tendrils circinate, usually opposite the leaves. Leaves alternate, petiolate, petiole c. 7.5-9 cm long, cordate at the base, lobed at the apex, orbicular in shape, 10-46 cm long and almost as broad, sparsely hairy on the upper and densely hairy on the lower surface. Inflorescence terminal, subcorymbose, densely hairy raceme; bracteoles persistent. Flowers white turning buff with age. Hypanthium c. 5-8 mm long. Calyx 3-5 lobed, c. 10-12.5 mm long, splitting into 2-3 parts, densely villous. Petals 5, c. 1.7-4.3 cm long, shortly clawed, spathulate, hairy externally. Fertile stamens 3, 2-7 staminodes may be present. Ovary densely tomentose, style hairy. Pod woody, 22.5-30 cm long, 5-7.5cm broad, dehiscent, rusty velvety, 6-12 seeded. Seed flat, dark brown, polished, c. 2.5 cm in diameter"  (Flora of Pakistan online).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  India, Nepal and Pakistan (Punjab) (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1997) (voucher ID: BISH 655275) Taxon name on voucher: Bauhinia vahlii Wight & Arn.

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Bauhinia vahlii is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.). 1997. Voucher specimen #BISH655275(Annable, C.R. 3698).

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2011. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

Nasir, E./Ali, S. I., eds. 1985. Flora of Pakistan. Pakistan Ag. Res. Council, Islamabad. 1970-1985, 170 vols (also on-line edition).

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