Indigofera hendecaphylla Jacq., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Indigofera endecaphylla Jacq. ex Poir., orth. var.; Indigofera neglecta N. E. Br.; Indigofera spicata auct., pro parte majore

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: sui xu mu lan

English: creeping indigo, spicate indigo, trailing indigo

Spanish: añil rastrero

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Semi-erect shrublet (20-) 40-75 cm tall, gradually becoming prostrate.  Main root 50-100 cm x 0.5-1 cm, white.  Stem creeping, up to 2 m long, rooting at the nodes, pale green to yellow, tough; branches ascending, striate, with appressed, biramous hairs with equally long arms.  Leaves pinnate, alternate, 3-5 cm long; stipules narrowly triangular, apex caudate, 5-6 mm x 1.5-2.0 mm; petiole 1-3 mm long, leaflets 9-11, shortly petioluled, alternate, sometimes almost opposite, narrowly oblong-elliptical to narrowly oblanceolate, 3-20 mm x 2-9 mm, apex rounded, mucronate, upper surface subglabrous.  Inflorescence an axillary raceme, 5-17 (-23) mm long; flowers 4-6 mm long, crowded, brick red to pink, occasionally purple or white; pedicel about 1 mm long; calyx tube 1.5 mm x 1.5 mm, teeth narrowly triangular, 2.5-3 mm long, standard broadly ovate, 4.0-5.5 mm x 3.0-4.0 mm, strigose on the back, wings 3.0-4.5 mm x 1.5-2.0 mm, glabrous, margins long-ciliate along the upper auricle; keel 3.5-5.0 mm x 2.0-2.5 mm, hairy, margins ciliate, lateral pocket 1 mm long; staminal tube 4-5 mm long; apex rounded to obtuse, anthers 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm; Ovary glabrous.  Fruit a descending, straight, needle-like, dark brown pod, stiff, somewhat quadrangular to round in cross-section, 2.0-3.5 cm x 2.0-2.5 mm, 5- to 10-seeded, beak 2 mm long, endocarp not blotched.  Seed very small, cubic to quadrangular-ellipsoid, 2 mm x 1 mm, yellowish to dark brown"  (Hanum &Van der Maesen, 1997; p. 157).

See also listings under Indigofera spicata.

"Indigofera hendecaphylla Jacq. and Indigofera spicata Forssk. used to be considered as the same species and were then named Indigofera spicata.  They are now considered to be different species.  The literature is therefore confusing.  In Indigofera hendecaphylla the staminal tube is 4-5 mm long, distinctly larger than the calyx, the apex of the keel rounded to obtuse, the leaves have 9-11, narrowly oblong-elliptical to narrowly oblanceolate leaflets.  In Indigofera spicata the staminal tube is 3.0-3.5 mm long, not exceeding the calyx, the keel apex acute, while the leaves have 5-8 obovate leaflets with a cuneate base"   (Hanum &Van der Maesen, 1997; p. 157).  Thus, some of the species listed below may be misidentified.

Habitat/ecology:  "Thrives from 0-700 m altitude and is found to about 2,500 m.  It requires an average annual temperature of 16-27° C and an annual rainfall of 600-1500 mm, but may be found in wetter locations receiving up to 4000 mm annual rainfall.  It performs best on clay soils, but grows on various soil types, including sandy soils, with a pH of 5.0-7.7.  It is tolerant of poor, moderately acid, P-deficient soils.  Soil covers of I. hendecaphylla are notorious for harboring snakes and leeches"  (Hanum &Van der Maesen, 1997; p. 158).

In Hawai‘i, "introduced as a pasture legume, although it appears to be poisonous to cattle, and now naturalized in low elevation, dry, disturbed areas" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 675-676). In French Polynesia, "widespread and locally common introduced weedy species" (Welsh, 1998; p. 153).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa, Comoros, Madagascar, Reunion, Asia to Papua New Guinea and the Philippines; cultivated and naturalized 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	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 36) As Indigofera spicata but probably this species. Voucher cited: Fosberg 64952 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Mopelia (Mapetia, Maupiha‘a, Maupihoa, Mopiha‘a) Atoll	introduced invasive	Sachet, M.-H. (1983) (p. 28) As Indigofera spicata but vouchers determined to be this species per Florence et al. Vouchers cited: Sachet 937 (US), Sachet 938 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Mopelia (Mapetia, Maupiha‘a, Maupihoa, Mopiha‘a) Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Indigofera spicata Forsskål. Vouchers cited: M.-H. Sachet 937 (PAP), M.-H. Sachet 938 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Indigofera spicata Forsskål. Voucher cited: J. Florence 3491 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Indigofera spicata Forsskål. Vouchers cited: F.R. Fosberg 62863 (PAP), J. Florence 2440 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1981) (voucher ID: PTBG 37285) Taxon name on voucher: Indigofera hendecaphylla Jacq.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Indigofera spicata Forsskål. Voucher cited: J. Florence 6012 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 275) In open dry grassy places at low altitudes.

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 (2013)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Open ground, moist sunny trailsides; 800-1100 m".
China China	Hong Kong	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Open ground, moist sunny trailsides; 800-1100 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)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Comoros Comoro Islands	Comoro Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	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)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Indigofera hendecaphylla, please let us know.