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Vachellia farnesiana

(L.) Wight & Arn. (1834)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Vachellia

aroma, klu, kolū [kolu]

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs up to 4 m tall.

Stems: Young branches zigzag, subglabrous.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (bipinnate). Alternate. Leaves with (1)2–7 pairs of pinnae, leaflets 8–25 pairs, 3–6 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaflet surfaces glabrous. Leaflet margins entire. Petiolate, with 1–2 nectaries on the main rachis below the lowermost pair of pinnae. Stipules present as spines 0.4–4 cm long.

Flowers: Flowers bracteoles absent, flowers ca. 1.5 mm long, in heads up to ca. 15 mm in diameter (excl. stamens), these solitary or few together on a short axillary axis, peduncles slender, 2–3.5 cm long. Flowers mimosaceous. Calyx campanulate. Corolla yellow. Stamens numerous ca. 2 mm long. Ovary superior.

Fruit: Pods thick; subterete; straight or curved; 5–7 cm long; 1–2 cm in diameter. Seeds ellipsoid; slightly laterally flattened; 7–8 mm long; ca. 5 mm in diameter.

Ploidy: 2n = 52; 104

Habitat: Naturalized and common; sometimes becoming a pest; in dry; open; disturbed areas.

Elevation Range: 2–400 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Naturalized
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Kaho'olawe Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • 2-400 m
  • Description digitized by Dylan Charter
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • in Hawai'i formerly cultivated for an attempted perfume industry, now naturalized and common, sometimes becoming a pest.
  • probably introduced consid- erably earlier than the 1860

Bibliography

Name Published In: Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient.: 272 (1834)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:641 (Mi, K, O, Mo, M, Ka, H [as Acacia farnesiana]); Oppenheimer & Bartlett 2002:7 (L); Mabberley 2008:890/Wagner et al. 2012:36 (Syn. A. farnesiana = V. farnesiana); Holthuijzen 2017 (Mi†, 2024)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Vachellia farnesiana Kanepuu Preserve, Kahue Unit Dry forest dominated by Nestegis sandwicensis and Diospyros sandwicensis. Growing at periphery of intact canopy in full sun, with lantana and dallis grass. Preserved_Specimen Thorny shrubs ca 1 m tall; flowers yellow, fragrant. Cory, C. Lanai BISH 2001-05-24
2 Vachellia farnesiana Waianae Valley; Waianae Stream along paved rd below stream; beyond gate Dry wasteland; disturbed; w. Abutilon & Indigofera. Preserved_Specimen Lennstrom, H. 199466 Oahu BISH 1994-02-11
3 Vachellia farnesiana Kipapa Gulch, Waipio Dry slope, below Kamehameha Highway. Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 882 Oahu BISH 1932-11-26
4 Vachellia farnesiana NW part of island, above Makaalae Point In Prosopis scrub, ground cover mostly Heteropogon contortus and Chloris virgata. Preserved_Specimen Small tree about 3' tall. Flowers yellow. Cuddihy, L.W. 337 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-21
5 Vachellia farnesiana Gully below Pahala, Kau District Growing with other exotics such as Leucaena leucocephala and Agave sisalana on side of rocky gully in pastureland. Preserved_Specimen Shrub or small tree 4-5 ft. tall. Flowers yellow and fragrant. Cuddihy, L.W. 843 Hawaii BISH 1981-08-02
6 Vachellia farnesiana Kaiwi Shoreline Hike. Prosopis/Leucaena grassland. With Leucaena luecocephala. Preserved_Specimen Small toppled tree/shrub ~1.75 m tall. Trunk ~5cm at base. Bark gray to reddish brown covered in light gray lenticels. Spiney. Leaves 2x pinnate. Bright yellow mimosoid flowers. Walvoord, N. 2021005 Oahu BISH 2021-02-13
7 Vachellia farnesiana Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range With Leucaena leucocephala, Sporabalis, Cloris barbata, Cenchrus ciliaris. Growing in chunky limestone cobble. Preserved_Specimen 1.5 m tall thorny shrub. Trunk 2.5 cm with pale gray-reddish gray bark. Flowers bright yellow and very sweetly fragrant. BISH staff 57 Oahu BISH 2021-05-05
8 Vachellia farnesiana Waikiki, Honolulu Dry coral plain. Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.J. 128 Oahu BISH 1932-07-15
9 Vachellia farnesiana Kipapa Gulch dry, open slope Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 895 Oahu BISH 1933-01-15
10 Vachellia farnesiana Manoa Valley, Oahu, T. Hawaii In a hot dry pasture with lantaua. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 7261 Oahu BISH 1922-09-26
11 Vachellia farnesiana W Maui, 7.5 miles S of Wailuku above Papawai Point In Heteropogon grassland with Prosopis, Sida, Waltheria, etc. Preserved_Specimen Rounded shrub 7 ft. high. Henrickson, J.S. 3802 Maui BISH 1969-06-28
12 Vachellia farnesiana Honolulu District: Koko Head Sparsely scattered throughout southeast slope of Kuamookane, and east slope of Kawaihoa ridge, and northwest slope of Kuamookane. Preserved_Specimen Bruegmann, M.M. 110 Oahu BISH 1983-12-03
13 Vachellia farnesiana In Diamond Head Crater On dry slopes. Preserved_Specimen Christophersen, E. 1468 Oahu BISH 1931-01-22
14 Vachellia farnesiana Waimea District. Kekaha, near where the westmost extent of Kekaha Road meets with irrigation ditch access road. Dry, disturbed alien grass dominated area between dirt access road and irrigation ditch. Grass sp., Senna occidentalis Preserved_Specimen Spiny shrub with spreading canopy, approximately 1 meter tall; flowers mustard yellow, old bark dark brown, reddish on new growth; spines light grey. Approximately 10 mature plants in area. Brock, K. 858 Kauai BISH 2016-06-15
15 Vachellia farnesiana Manele Bay, along road above bay Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 109920 Lanai BISH 1999-10-25
16 Vachellia farnesiana Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, Ahihi Bay at the N end of the reserve Pockets of vegatation near the seashore amongst a'a lava about 200 years old. Preserved_Specimen Abbott, I.A. 91.32 Maui BISH 1991-03-05
17 Vachellia farnesiana Punaula Valley Weed on dry Hillside. Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 12785 Molokai BISH 1932-12-28
18 Vachellia farnesiana Kalaupapa; airport, road to pavilion Preserved_Specimen sprawling shrub Wysong, M.L. 410 Molokai BISH 2004-11-11
19 Vachellia farnesiana Waimea Canyon Drive, ca. one mile form Waimea. Across road from Panini Heights Preserved_Specimen Shrub to three to four ft. Flower heads bright orange-yellow. Very fragrant. Flynn, T.W. 985 Kauai BISH 1985-01-28
20 Vachellia farnesiana Diamond Head crater Preserved_Specimen Shrub, fl. yellow. St.John, H. 1336 Oahu BISH 1930-05-11
21 Vachellia farnesiana Manoa Preserved_Specimen Thorny shrub; to 4 m. Flower bright yellow. Smels scented. Swarbrick, J.T. 26 Oahu BISH 1976-01-04
22 Vachellia farnesiana Polihua Road Preserved_Specimen Flowers bright yellow. Oppenheimer, H.L. 109913 Lanai BISH 1999-10-24
23 Vachellia farnesiana Kalihi Street, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen 10' weed. Grant, M.L. 7110 Oahu BISH 1934-07-18
24 Vachellia farnesiana Spread all over island, especially the E.end, not abundant Preserved_Specimen Spiny shrub up to 2 m. Fruit: green to brown pod. Bryan Jr., E.H. 745 Kahoolawe BISH 1931-02-19
25 Vachellia farnesiana Palolo Valley Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 51 Oahu BISH 1919-11-09
26 Vachellia farnesiana Dry forest near center of island Preserved_Specimen Spreading shrub naturalized. Little Jr., E.L. 31218 Molokai BISH 1976-09-15
27 Vachellia farnesiana Palolo Valley Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 51 Oahu BISH 1919-11-09
28 Vachellia farnesiana Area within 300 m west of LZ-1. UTM coordinates 752400-2275900 Preserved_Specimen Warren, S. 10 Kahoolawe BISH 1987-04-09
29 Vachellia farnesiana Visitor Center and main ruins, Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 10312 Hawaii BISH 1984-04-08
30 Vachellia farnesiana Kalihi Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. Oahu BISH
31 Vachellia farnesiana Dry slopes, Maunalua Preserved_Specimen Chong, M. Oahu BISH 1933-05-25
32 Vachellia farnesiana Diamond Head Beach Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 10554 Oahu BISH 1930-05-10
33 Vachellia farnesiana 1.5 mi W of Moomomi Beach, sand dunes Preserved_Specimen Aidem, J. Molokai BISH 1972-02-17
34 Vachellia farnesiana University Farm Preserved_Specimen Yoshinaga, E.K. Oahu BISH 1929-11-20
35 Vachellia farnesiana Kaneohe roadside Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. Oahu BISH 1929-01-12
36 Vachellia farnesiana Koko Head Preserved_Specimen Hume, E.P. Oahu BISH 1931-04-29
37 Vachellia farnesiana Oahu Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. Oahu BISH 1864-01-01
38 Vachellia farnesiana Kalihi Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. Oahu BISH
39 Vachellia farnesiana N.W. of the mud flats near Koko Head, Oahu Among lava blocks on the slope immediately above the springs. Preserved_Specimen Harris, J.A. Oahu BISH 1924-08-26
40 Vachellia farnesiana Mokulua, S islet, Kailua Grassy Slope. Preserved_Specimen Low shrub, fls. deep yellow, fragrant, broken herbage foetid Fosberg, F.R. 12885 Oahu BISH 1936-02-16
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