Millettia pinnata (L.) Panigrahi, Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 7 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Millettia pinnata)

Other Latin names:  Cytisus pinnatus L.; Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet; Galedupa indica Lam.; Galedupa pinnata (L.) Taub.; Pongamia glabra Ventenat; Pongamia mitis Kurz; Pongamia pinnata (Linnaeus) Pierre

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Indian pongamia, Indian-beech, karanja, karumtree, pongam, pongamia, poonga-oil-tree

Japanese: kuro-yona

Samoan: (none recorded)

Habit:  tree

Description:  "[Millettia pinnata] is a 25-75' tree with smooth bark and drooping branchlets. The leaves are odd-pinnately compound, with 3-7 ovate, broadly elliptic, or obovate leaflets, each 2.5-6.25" long and 1.5-3.5" wide, ther terminal one the largest. Pendent racemes of fragrant, 0.75" long, pinkish to lavender, pea-type flowers are produced [in Hawaii] mainly between October and January, though a few flowers may be present any time of the year. The woody, flat, elliptic-oval pods are indehiscent, 1.5-2" long and 0.75-1" wide, and usually contain a single seed." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 333)

See also Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants.

See also Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 76.

Habitat/ecology:  "Widespread in coastal areas and tidal streams from India across Asia to western Polynesia, as well as inland in northern Australia and New Guinea. . . ." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 333)

"It is rare in Samoa in littoral forest on 'Upolu (south coast) and Tutuila (south coast), and in coastal forest on the north side [sic] Ta'&umacron;, reported from near sea level to about 100 m elevation." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 76)

Propagation:  (no propagation information known by PIER)

Native range:  "Widespread in coastal areas and tidal streams from India across Asia to western Polynesia, as well as inland in northern Australia and New Guinea. . . ." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 333)

native to China, Japan (Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands), Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Andaman and Nicobar, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Christmas Island, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Lesser Sunda Islands, Sumatra), Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea), Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland), Guam, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands (Tinian), Palau, Fiji, Samoa (GRIN accessed 20171018)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  (no invaded habitats or impacts known by PIER; please let us know if you know of such information we should add here)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Australia (offshore islands)	Warul Kawai (Deliverance Island)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Pueles Islet		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Gagil (Gagil-Tamil) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 333) presence/cultivated implied by inclusion in the book
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	Papua (Irian Jaya)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Pacific Oceania	Micronesia	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Pacific Polynesia	Western Polynesia	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Island 16		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngeruktabel		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Rock Islands (Chelbacheb)	Ngeremdiu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Palau Sonsorol Group	Sonsorol Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Samoa Samoa	Samoa	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
Samoa Samoa	Samoa	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Mikira (San Cristobal) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	New Georgia Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Êfaté (Efete) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Erromango Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Maéwo Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Pentecôte (Pentacost) Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Futuna Island	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76) as "Horne Islands"
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

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	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Indonesia Indonesia	Java	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Indonesia Indonesia	Lesser Sunda Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Indonesia Sunda Islands	Sumatra	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018

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	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
India (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Andaman Islands	Andaman Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
India (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Nicobar Islands	Nicobar Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Mascarene Islands Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, La Reunion, Rodrigues)	Mascarene Islands	native	Whistler, W. A. (1984) (p. 76)
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
India India	India (Republic of)	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20171018

Comments:  "One species [of Millettia], Millettia pinnata, is native to Polynesia. It was formerly considered to be in the genus Pongamia, which consisted only of this one species." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 74)

cultivated in Hawaii (implied by inclusion in A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 333)

"It is considered to be a useful timber tree in Fiji, where it is more common [PIER ed.: than in Samoa], but has no Samoan name or reported uses." (Rainforest Trees of Samoa, p. 76)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Millettia pinnata, please let us know.