Crotalaria assamica Benth., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: da zhu shi dou

English: Indian rattlebox

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Subshrubs; stems erect or ascending, up to 20 dm long, ridged, densely short-pubescent.  Leaves simple, elliptic to oblanceolate, 7.8-16.5 cm long, 2.4-3.6 cm wide, veins 13-16 on each side of midvein, upper surface glabrous and slightly punctate, lower surface appressed short-pubescent, apex obtuse to acute, usually mucronulate, base cuneate, petioles 4-6 mm long, stipules minute, subulate.  Flowers 18-25 mm long, 12-22 in somewhat lax inflorescences, rachis 15-29 cm long (incl. peduncle), bracts narrowly triangular, 2.5-3.3 mm long, spreading, usually persistent, bracteoles at mid-pedicel, narrowly triangular; calyx appressed short-pubescent, the tube 4.5-7 mm long, the lobes 8-10 mm long, lateral lobes distinct at apex; petals yellow, standard 15-16 mm long, wings oblong, 12-13 mm long, 6-7.5 mm wide, claws 3.9-4.1 mm long, keel petals short, beak slightly twisted, margins ciliate; elongated anthers 2.6-5 mm long, short ones 0.8-0.9 mm long.  Pods dark brown at maturity, 3.5-5 cm long, short-stipitate, glabrous.  Seeds ca. 30 per pod, dark brown, up to 4 mm long, smooth"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 657-658).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in disturbed mesic sites, 480-560 mm"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 658).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Native to India  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 658). China, India, Southeast Asia, Philippines (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	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 657-658)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 20) Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 010309-2 (BISH); East Maui: R. Hobdy 3593 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 35) Voucher cited: Starr, Starr, Buchanan & Hart 050518-5 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 657-658) Voucher cited: Mann & Brigham 62 (BISH)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 271) Occasional in ravines, thickets, etc., at low and medium altitudes.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Montane grasslands, along trails; below 100-3000 m".
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 184)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Montane grasslands, along trails; below 100-3000 m".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Crotalaria assamica, please let us know.