Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC, Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Reject, score: 21 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
High risk, score: 13 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))

Other Latin names:  Amerimnon sissoo (Roxb. ex DC.) Kuntze

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: yin du huang tan

English: Indian dalbergia, Indian rosewood, shisham, sissoo, sisu

French: ébénier juane

Habit:  tree

Description:  "An erect deciduous tree to 20 m high with a 2 to 3 m girth, trunk often not straight or regularly branched; reproducing by seed and suckers. Stems: Young shoots downy, drooping; established stems with light brown to dark gray bark to 2.5 cm thick, shed in narrow strips; large upper branches support a spreading crown. Leaves leathery, pubescent when young, glabrous later; alternate, to 8 cm long, comprising 3 to 7 leaflets, broadly elliptical to obovate. Flowers white to yellowish white, pea-like, to 2 cm long, fragrant, nearly sessile; formed in axillary clusters. Fruit an oblong pale brown pod to 10 cm long, 1 cm wide, thin and strap-like, end rounded with a minute point, glabrous, contains 1 to 4, usually 2 or 3 seeds. Seed: Brown, flat, almost oblong,1 cm long and 4 mm wide. Root: A long taproot and numerous surface roots which produce suckers" (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992; pp. 472-473).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist tropics and subtropics to 1000 m. "Growth is most prolific in tropical and sub-tropical climates, particularly in areas where there is considerable soil moisture (but not waterlogged soils).  In the Northern Territory [Australia], it grows mostly on sands and gravels along watercourses, sometimes spreading into the drier forests and plains." (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 106).

Propagation:  Seeds, but most commonly locally by root suckers. Can form dense thickets.

Native range:  Oman to Myanmar; cultivated elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: BT 4230 (PAP)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 7213 (PAP), J. Florence 7656 (PAP) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1986) (voucher ID: BISH 546516) Taxon name on voucher: Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 82) Vouchers cited: MacKee 33912, MacKee 36673, Cherrier in MacKee 44455

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)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 106)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 106) Isolated populations.
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Cultivated; 900-1500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Zhejiang".
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 142) Ornamental, timber.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 32) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Cultivated; 900-1500 m".

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)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Declared a noxious weed in the Northern Territory, Australia (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 106).

Planting of this species is prohibited in Miami-Dade County, Florida (U.S.) (Hunsberger, 2001).

Control: 

Chemical: Picloram as a cut stump, basal bark or stem injection (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992; pp. 472-473).