Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: xiao lu huo

English: rhynchosia

Mangarevan: puhi, rautea

Niuean: pinē Liku

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Climbing or prostrate herbs from a woody rootstock; stems 0.3 to several m long, glabrous or velvety pubescent.  Leaflets 3, rhombic, ovate, or suborbicular, the lateral ones oblique, 0.9-6 cm long, 0.8-5 cm wide, lower surface glabrate to velvety pubescent and densely glandular-dotted, apex rounded to acute, petioles 1-4 cm long, stipules linear-lanceolate, ca. 3.5 mm long.  Flowers in lax, axillary pseudoracemes 2-15 cm long; corolla brownish outside, yellow within, standard often tinged reddish, 5-10 mm long.  Pods oblong-falcate, flattened and slightly constricted between the widely spaced seeds, 0.6-3.5 cm long, 0.3-0.5 cm wide.  Seeds (1) 2, gray to black, reniform, slightly laterally flattened, 2.5-3 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 695).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "probably introduced in seed mixtures for soil improvement, now naturalized in low elevation disturbed areas" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 695).  In Fiji, "adventive along roadsides, in plantations, or in waste places near sea level" (Smith, 1985; p. 255).  In Niue, "forms a densely interlocking mat under the coconut trees.  Also, it grows in plantations, waste places and along the roadsides, but not generally in the fernland." (Sykes, 1970; p. 160) Arid lowlands and moist uplands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 310).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Paleotropics.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 255) Voucher cited: DA 8990
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 255) Voucher cited: DA L.13752
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Agakauitai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Agakauitai Island	introduced	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 16) Voucher cited: St. John 14929 (BISH)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Akamaru Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Akamaru Island	introduced	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 16) Voucher cited: St. John 14697 (BISH)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Aukena Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: B. Huguenin s.n. (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 16) Vouchers cited: St. John 14505 (BISH), Fosberg 11057 (BISH)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Taravai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Totegegie Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Eiao Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J.-C. Thibault 1053 (PAP), J.-C. Thibault 1075 (PAP), J. Florence & M. Teikiteetini 9325 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Huku Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hatuta'a (Hatutu) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hatuta'a (Hatutu) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence & M. Teikiteetini 9404 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1963) (voucher ID: PTBG 13247) Taxon name on voucher: Rhynchosia minima
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 6709 (PAP), J. Florence 6931 (PAP), J. Florence 6947 (PAP), J. Florence 8440 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 39434) Taxon name on voucher: Rhynchosia minima
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 40880) Taxon name on voucher: Rhynchosia minima
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Mopelia (Mapetia, Maupiha‘a, Maupihoa, Mopiha‘a) Atoll	introduced invasive	Sachet, M.-H. (1983) (p. 28) Voucher cited: Sachet 933 (US)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 159) Vouchers cited: BRY 24841, Whistler & Guerin 31
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: W.A. Whistler & M. Guérin 31 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Niau Atoll	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 10080 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 695) Voucher cited: Jones s n. (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Loyauté (Loyalty Islands)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 89) Voucher cited: Blanchon 1551 (NOU)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Tiga	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 89) Voucher cited: Toutain 3662
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 89) Vouchers cited: Vieillard 374, Pancher s.n. s.loc., Deplanche 330, Balansa 310, Le Rat 205 bis, Blanchon 900 (NOU), MacKee 4069, MacKee 20571, MacKee 33113
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 89) Voucher cited: Germain s.n.
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 160) Vouchers cited: CHR 150504, CHR 150505
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 27)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. (1997) (p. 35)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 65) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9687 (BISH) "Common weedy vine in thickets and clearings".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 46)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 316) In open grasslands 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)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) "Forests; 900-2500 m".
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) "Forests; 900-2500 m".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Rodrigues Island	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2011)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Rhynchosia minima is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Rhynchosia minima as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

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

References:

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Haselwood, E. L./Motter, G. G. 1983. Handbook of Hawaiian Weeds. Second edition, revised and expanded by Robert T. Hirano. University of Hawaii Press. 491 pp.

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2011. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McMullen, C. K. 1999. Flowering plants of the Galápagos. Comstock Pub. Assoc., Ithaca, N.Y. 370 p.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 2 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 530 pp.

Sachet, M.-H. 1983. Natural history of Mopelia Atoll, Society Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Reserch Bulletin 274. 37 pp.

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./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.

St. John, Harold. 1988. Census of the Flora of the Gambier Islands, Polynesia. Pacific Plant Studies 43. Honolulu, Hawaii. 34 pp. [Privately published].

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.

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

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).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

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

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.

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

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).