Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench, Fabaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk, score: 0 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Cassia aeschinomene DC. ex Collad.; Cassia lechenaultiana DC.; Cassia leschenaultiana; Cassia mimosoides sensu auct. non L. (in Sykes, 1970); Cassia nictitans L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: partridge pea, sensitive cassia, sensitive partridge pea, sensitive pea, wild sensitive plant

Hawaiian: laukī

Tongan: mateloi vava‘u

Habit:  shrub

Description: 

Genus: "Trees, shrubs, or herbs, often with extrafloral nectaries on leaf petioles and/or raceme axes; leaves spirally arranged or distichous, paripinnate, the leaflets opposite (numerous and small in our taxa); inflorescences 1-many-flowered, racemose, the axis sometimes adnate to stem, the pedicels 2-bracteolate near or above middle; flowers with 5 sepals, imbricate; petals 5, nearly always highly heteromorphic, yellow (sometimes red-marked near claw), the 2 abaxial ones variously oblique, the vexillar one usually interior in bud but sometimes exterior on one or both sides; androecium functionally (2-) 5-10-merous, essentially actinomorphic, the filaments straight, short, the anthers basifixed, equal or unequal (if unequal not accrescent toward abaxial side of flower), puberulent or pilosulous along lateral sutures, dehiscent by pores or short slits apically; fruit plano-compressed, very rarely winged along sutures, elastically dehiscent, the valves coiling, papery, leathery, or subligneous, the seed funicle deltately dilated, the seeds with a smooth or pitted testa, without areoles"  (Smith, 1985; pp. 117-118).

Genus: "Stipules lanceolate, usually 5-15 mm long and prominently 5-13-nerved; leaves with petioles 3-7 mm long, the gland variable but usually slightly elevated (depressed in center) and 0.5-1 mm in diameter, sometimes obovoid-stipitate; leaf rachis sulcate, the margins of furrow not raised between leaflet pairs and appearing only narrowly winged; leaflets 10-26 (-31) pairs, the blades usually 10-23 x 2-3 mm and with venation evident on both surfaces; seeds nearly as broad as long" (Smith, 1985; pp. 117-118).

C. mimosoides (similar species): "Stipules acicular to lanceolate, usually 3-10 mm long and with only 1-3 nerves in distal portion; leaves with petioles 1-3 mm long, the gland flat, discoid, 0.3-1 mm in diameter; leaf rachis seemingly serrate, the margins of furrow slightly expanded between leaflet pairs into rounded wings; leaflets 15-40 (-80) pairs, the blades usually 2-8 x 0.5-1.5 mm and with venation often immersed or obscure on upper surface; seeds about half as long as broad"  (Smith, 1985; pp. 117-118).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "abundant locally as a weed along roadsides and in cultivated areas, sometimes in coconut plantations" (Smith, 1985; pp. 117-118). In Guam, "a rather uncommon roadside weed" (Stone, 1970; pp. 310-311).  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in dry to mesic, disturbed sites, 3-1,130 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 655-656).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Neotropics, now widely naturalized (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 655-656).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 26) Voucher cited: Anderson 602 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 652568) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 422285) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 652573) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia aeschynomene DC.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1980) (voucher ID: PTBG 22235) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1965) (voucher ID: PTBG 22263) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 75) Voucher cited: Glassman 2410 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 90) Vouchers cited: F.R. Fosberg 60511 (BISH, PTBG), S.F. Glassman 2410 (BISH) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1949) (voucher ID: BISH 153649) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 652572) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia aeschynomene DC.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1980) (voucher ID: PTBG 23313) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 117-118) Voucher cited: DA 9633
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 117-118) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 1183A, Greenwood 1183, DA 10297, DA 8986, DA 8191, DA 10661, DA 10734
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1954) (voucher ID: BISH 14470) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1955) (voucher ID: BISH 14471) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1957) (voucher ID: BISH 14473) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1956) (voucher ID: BISH 32821) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1948) (voucher ID: BISH 153614) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (pp. 310-311)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 507499) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Hughes, Guy D'Oyly (1995) (p. 5) Voucher cited: Hughes s.n. (BISH) Common and widespread in all lowland areas.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 655-666)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 89) Presence not verified.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 73) Vouchers cited: Schmid s.n., Uhe 992 (NOU), MacKee 16349, Corbasson in MacKee 23616, MacKee 30102, MacKee 36727, MacKee 43142
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 55) Voucher cited: CHR 169770
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 22)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 23) Voucher: Flynn 6688 (PTBG, NIUE)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. (1997) (p. 34) Voucher cited: Whistler 10748
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 9) Voucher: BMW 7074 (CHR, BRI, MBA)
Niue Niue	Niue Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2000) (voucher ID: PTBG 30189) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 84)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 28)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 20)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 611192) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans var. glabrata (Vogel) H. S. Irwin & Barneby
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 689520) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1991) (voucher ID: BNM 9572) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista (Cassia) nictitans var. glabrata (Vogel) Irwin & Barn.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 80)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 652569) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1966) (voucher ID: BNM 431) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1966) (voucher ID: BNM 430) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 98)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 80)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1965) (voucher ID: BISH 652570) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1967) (voucher ID: BNM 432) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 66)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1921) (voucher ID: BISH 153597) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1976) (voucher ID: BISH 607079) Taxon name on voucher: Cassia leschenaultiana DC.
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘ano Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (pp. 71, field notes.)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka and Foa Islands	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 71)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	‘Uiha Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (pp. 71, field notes.)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 59)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 51)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 65)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 135) Voucher cited: Yuncker 16023
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 153585) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1960) (voucher ID: BISH 153586) Taxon name on voucher: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced invasive	Orapa, Warea (2005)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 34)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 22)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 135) As Cassia leschenaultiana DC. In open field.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (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
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	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
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Chamaecrista nictitans, please let us know.