Crotalaria micans Link, Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Crotalaria anagyroides Kunth

Common name(s): [more details]

English: crotalaria

Niuean: pile, pinē kotalelia

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrub to 3 m high"  The racemes are up to 60 cm long and many-flowered; the pedicels are 7-10 mm long; and the petals are yellow, sometimes purple-striped, the standard about 20 mm in diameter" (Smith, 1985; p. 271).

"Perennial herbs, subshrubs, or small shrubs; stems ascending or erect, up to 35 dm long, weakly striate, appressed or spreading short-pubescent.  Leaves trifoliolate, leaflets elliptic obovate, or oblanceolate, 2.5-10.2 cm long, 0.7-3.5 cm wide, veins 5-20 on each side of midvein, upper surface glabrous or sparsely pubescent, lower surface appressed short-pubescent to densely spreading pubescent, apex rounded to acute, occasionally acuminate or mucronulate, base cuneate or broadly cuneate, petioles 4-92 mm long, stipules absent or minute and setaceous.  Flowers 16-19 mm long, 10-30 in terminal, crowded inflorescences, these terminated by a tuft of curled bracts, rachis up to 26 cm long (incl. peduncle), bracts linear-triangular, 8-13 mm long, ascending, caducous, bracteoles at apex of pedicel, linear-triangular; calyx appressed short-pubescent to spreading pubescent, occasionally sericeous, the tube 4-5 mm long, the lobes 4.9-5.9 mm long, lateral lobes connate at apex; petals yellow with lines near base, standard 13-14 mm long, 18-21 mm wide, wings oblong, 12.5-16 mm long, 7.8-9 mm wide, keel petals with a moderately long, nontwisted beak, densely pubescent externally below beak, margins ciliate; elongated anthers 3-3.3 mm long, short ones 1-1.1 mm long.  Pods brown at maturity, 2-3.5 cm long, stipitate, stipe 3-6 mm long, appressed short-pubescent.  Seeds ca 20 per pod, tan to brown, up to 3.5 mm long, smooth"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 661).

Habitat/ecology:  Introduced in the past as an agriculture cover crop or as an ornamental.  Weedy, mostly along roadsides and other disturbed areas, sometimes in dense stands.  In Hawai‘i, "growing in disturbed sites, 50-530 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 661).  On Niue, locally abundant in open or scrub-covered country" (Sykes, 1970; p. 148).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical America but widely introduced.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 420152) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1979) (voucher ID: BISH 618517) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 664483) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 85)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1936) (voucher ID: BISH 153962) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 106)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 271) Vouchers cited: DA 8491, DA 9566, DA 2410, DA 12131 Perhaps naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1955) (voucher ID: BISH 14427) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 661)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 661)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 661)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 148) Vouchers cited: CHR 150541, CHR 150544
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 7) Voucher specimen collected: Flynn 6682
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. (1997) (p. 34)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9674 (BISH). "The seeds have been scattered throughout the island in the hope that the growth of the plant will improve the poor soil".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 14)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 85)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced	Verdcourt, B. (1979)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28867) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 100419) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1979) (voucher ID: BISH 439251) Taxon name on voucher: Crotalaria anagyroides HBK.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)

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)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Indonesia Indonesia	Irian Jaya (West Papua) (Indonesia) (western New Guinea Island)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)

Comments:  Wagner et al. (1999; p. 661) and GRIN list C. anagyroides and C. micans as synonyms but Tim Flynn reports that the specimens in the Bishop Museum do not match.

Additional information:  Information from the World Agroforestry Centre's AgroForestryTree Database.

Additional online information about Crotalaria micans is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1936. Voucher specimen #BISH 153962 (Takamatsu, M. 777).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1955. Voucher specimen #BISH 14427 (Walker, C. 9566).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 28867 (Bristol, M.L. 2340).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1972. Voucher specimen #BISH 100419 (Whistler, W.A. W 82).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1977. Voucher specimen #BISH 420152 (Krauss, N.H.L. 1538).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1979. Voucher specimen #BISH 439251 (Cox, P.A. 289).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1979. Voucher specimen #BISH 618517 (Krauss, N. 1684).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 664483 (Sykes, W.R. 474753).

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

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2005. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

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

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 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.

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.

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

Verdcourt, B. 1979. A Manual of New Guinea Legumes. Office of Forests, Lae, PNG.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. 1997. Botanical survey of the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Niue. Unpublished technical report. 76 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.