Cleome viscosa L., Capparaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Polanisia viscosa DC.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: monggos-paluma, mongos-paloma, mungus paluma

English: Asian spiderflower, cleome, tickweed, wild mustard

French: acaya jaune, collant, mouzambé jaune

Pohnpeian: kuh yolung

Spanish: barba de chivo, frijolillo, jitomate, malva pegajosa, plantanillo, sambo, tabaquillo

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Strict or considerably branched annual 2-16 dm tall, densely glandular-pubescent throughout, unarmed; petioles 1-6 cm long, exstipulate; leaflets 3-5, oblanceolate-elliptic, acute to obtuse at apex, cuneate to attenuate at base, the central leaflets 1-6 cm long, 0.5-3 cm wide, entire, densely glandular-ciliate, petiolules 1-3 mm long; flowers relatively few, solitary in axils of upper leaves; pedicels 5-23 mm long; sepals free, narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate-elliptic, acuminate, 5-10 mm long, 1-4 mm wide, deciduous; petals pale to deep yellow or orange-yellow, obovate to spatulate, rounded at apex, gradually attenuate to base, 6-14 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; disk obsolete; stamens 10-26, included, the filaments 5-8 mm long, 4-10 of the adaxial shorter than others and slightly clavate; anthers 2-3 mm long; ovary cylindric, densely glandular-pubescent, sessile; style about 1 mm long at anthesis, to 6 mm long in fruit; stigmas capitate; mature fruits linear-cylindric, attenuate toward apex, sessile, 2-4 mm broad, 3-10 cm long, erect or strongly ascending, glandular-pubescent, the valves longitudinally striate and dull without, lustrous within; seeds obovoid-reniform, 1.2-1.8 mm long, dark reddish brown, strikingly rugulose transversely with about 30 rugae, these again minutely transversely rugulose"  (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 547-548).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "often locally abundant as a naturalized weed near sea level in cultivated fields, along roadsides, and especially in canefields" (Smith, 1981; pp. 700-701).  "Common as a weed of disturbed places in Samoa, uncommon on Niue" (Whistler, 1988; p. 8). Arid lowlands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p 200). In New Guinea, "mostly a roadside plant, but sometimes invading pasture; rarely troublesome in cultivation. At low altitudes" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 60).

Propagation:  Sticky seeds.

Native range:  Old World, probably indigenous in Asia, now pantropical (Smith, 1981; pp. 700-701).

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	Alamagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 25) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1948 (US) Occasional on rocky beach.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 58) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-59203
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 32)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1977) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Falanruw 3044 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Pinta Group	Pinta Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 700-702) Voucher cited: DA 11522
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 700-702) Voucher cited: DA 10516
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 700-702) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 197, DA 10331, DA 11154, DA 10690, DA 10440, O. & I. Degener 32048, DA 9752, Greenwood 197A, DA 5679, DA 10822, DA 1051
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 31) One plant at the edge of a field. Voucher cited: Fosberg 64857 (US)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Raroia Atoll	introduced	Doty, Maxwell S. (1954) (p. 37)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 286)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 85)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 13) Voucher specimen collected: Imada 2003-34 (BISH 697649)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced invasive	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 112) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58653 (US), Scully 125N (US), Thaman & Manner 45 (SUVA), Thaman & Manner 22310 (SUVA), Swarbrick 9542 (BRIU), Swarbrick 9572 (BRIU)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 27) Voucher cited: MacKee 18384
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 57) Vouchers cited: CHR 168859, CHR 168860
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 8) Uncommon
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 12, 100)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 60)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 8)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Guadalcanal Island	introduced invasive	Orapa, Warea (2005)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 58)

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)	Australia (continental)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 120)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 120)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 120)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (p. 16)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 91)

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

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

References:

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Doty, Maxwell S. 1954. Floristic and Ecological Notes on Raroia Atoll, Tuamotus. Land biota: vascular plants. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 33. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 41 pp.

Falanruw, Marjorie C./Maka, Jean E./Cole, Thomas G./Whitesell, Craig D. 1990. Common and scientific names of trees and shrubs of Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands. Pac. SW Forest and Range Expt. Stn. Resource Bulletin PSW-67. 91 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1977. Additional records of vascular plants from the northern Mariana Islands. Micronesica 13: 27-31.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1987. Flora of Maupiti, Society Islands. The Smithsonian Institution. Atoll Research Bulletin 294:1-70.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias. 1988. Dicot weeds, vol. 1. CIBA-GEIGY Ltd., Basle, Switzerland. 335 pp.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

McMullen, C. K. 1999. Flowering plants of the Galápagos. Comstock Pub. Assoc., Ithaca, N.Y. 370 p.

Ohba, T. 1994. Flora and vegetation of the northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. Biological Expedition to the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. In A. Asakua & T. Furuki, eds.  Natural History Research, Special issue no. 1, Chiba, Japan: Natural History Museum and Institute. pp. 13-69.

Orapa, Warea. 2005. Warea Orapa, Weed Mangement Officer, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, pers. com. (Trip Report, Solomon Islands, 19 April to 10 May, 2005).

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1993. Flora of Australia. Vol. 50, Oceanic islands 2. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. 2004. Report to the Republic of Kiribati on invasive plant species on the islands of Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari and Maiana. Cont. no. 2003-006 to the Pac. Biol. Surv. USDA Forest Service and Bishop Museum, Honolulu. 103 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

U. S. Government. 2006. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Waterhouse, D. F. 1993. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.