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Cajanus cajan

(L.) Huth (1893)

This name is accepted

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

dahl, pī nūnū [pi nunu], pigeon pea, red gram

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs up to 2(–4)m tall.

Stems: Stems ribbed, golden sericeous.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (pinnately trifoliate or sometimes palmately trifoliate). Alternate. Blades elliptic to lanceolate, lateral ones obliquely elliptic, 5–13 cm long, 1.5–6 cm wide. Upper surfaces glabrate; lower surfaces usually densely silvery pilose. Leaflet margins entire. Petiolate. Stipules small, caducous.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary pseudoracemes, these rarely also terminal. Flowers papilionaceous, stalked; bracteoles absent. Calyx golden tomentose and glandular, persistent in fruit; standard yellow, often reddish–lined or orange to purple externally, 12–17 mm long, wings yellow, keel yellowish green tinged orange to purple. Calyx 5-lobed, upper 2 lobes connate into a larger bifid lobe. Corolla of 5 petals, standard yellow, often reddishlined or orange to purple externally, 12-17 mm long, wings yellow, keel yellowish green tinged orange to purple. Stamens 10; upper stamen distinct, the other 9 connate into a tube. Ovary superior.

Fruit: Pods yellow or green striped with maroon or dark purple; straight to sickle–shaped; 2–8(–13) cm long; 0.4–1(–1.7) cm wide; pubescent and glandular; weakly septate within. Seeds 2–9; variable in shape and coloration; buff to cream or reddish brown; slightly laterally flattened; 4–9 mm long; 3–8 mm in diameter; the rim–aril well–developed when seeds unripe.

Ploidy: 2n = 22; 44; 66

Habitat: Cultivated and occasionally escaping; apparently naturalized in open; disturbed areas such as roadsides; pastures; and cane fields.

Elevation Range: 25–610 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Only found in cultivation
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • 25-610 m
  • Consists of various cultivars native to India, cultivated in all tropical areas for edible seeds and some areas as a vegetable. Cultivated in Hawaiʻi and naturalized in open.
  • Description digitized by Jonah Tiwanak
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • Early introduction to islands; on Oʻahu 1864-65.

Bibliography

Name Published In: Helios 11: 133 (1893)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:649 (K, O, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:300 (KEY), 308 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cajanus cajan Honolulu, Hickam Field Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1947-05-01
2 Cajanus cajan Round top road above Makiki Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 2492 Oahu BISH 1917-05-01
3 Cajanus cajan Aiea Trail Preserved_Specimen Kerr, M. Oahu BISH 1945-06-18
4 Cajanus cajan University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Oahu BISH 1978-01-25
5 Cajanus cajan University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Oahu BISH 1978-01-25
6 Cajanus cajan unknown Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 52 BISH 1864-01-01
7 Cajanus cajan University farm, Honolulu Semi-dry region. Preserved_Specimen Inafuku, R. Oahu BISH 1930-10-18
8 Cajanus cajan Near K.M.C roadside Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow, shrub 1-3 ft. Fagerlund, G.O. 828 Hawaii BISH 1943-08-03
9 Cajanus cajan Upaeula, Waialua District Open fields Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.J. 128 Oahu BISH 1932-09-25
10 Cajanus cajan Papaaloa along cane field road Preserved_Specimen shrub with yellow flowers Herbst, D.R. 5160 Hawaii BISH 1975-01-15
11 Cajanus cajan 1 mile E of N junction of Hwys 37 and 377 pasture Preserved_Specimen Much branched shrub with fragrant yellow flowers Herbst, D.R. 797 Maui BISH 1967-12-18
12 Cajanus cajan Foster Botanical Garden In dappled shade Preserved_Specimen A multi-trunked shrub 2m tall with major branches arching and limber. Standard and keel creamy yellow and chartreuse. Wings canary yellow. Flowers odorless (morning). Lau, J. 2010 Oahu BISH 1986-02-13
13 Cajanus cajan Waianae UTM 2372304 584982 In lawn, in front of house. Preserved_Specimen Shrub about 1 meter tall. Flowers glossy red on outside of standard, yellow inside. Pods dark purple with green streaks. No scent (noon.) OED 2007053101 Oahu BISH 2007-05-31
14 Cajanus cajan Hamakua, Ouhi Gulch Preserved_Specimen Single sparse bush of 8 ft. Tomich, P.Q. 904 Hawaii BISH 1960-03-09
15 Cajanus cajan Honolulu, McCully Street Sea level. Flat slope. Preserved_Specimen Shrub. Pods used for animal feeds. Green or ripe. Higuchi, G.T. 54 Oahu BISH 1971-05-08
16 Cajanus cajan Lihue, Kalepa Forest Reserve, Hanamaulu or South end past the water tank, just past junction to tower. W/ Casuarina, Psidium cattleyanum, Syzygium cumini. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 7 ft tall. Lvs... [illegeible] stem square; flw yellow inside red outside... [illegible] pods green and red... [illegible] seeds light brn...[illegible] See photo of fieldbook entry in database N. Tangalin 4047 kauai BISH 2015-01-21
17 Cajanus cajan Waialua District, Kawailoa Training Area, Drum Road. Along road. Open mesic forest of Falcataria, Chrysophyllum, and Cinnamomum with periodic open disturbed roadside areas. Preserved_Specimen Erect herbaceous plant, leaves dark green with lighter green underside, flowers yellow with maroon at base of petals, standard petals with maroon exterior. Isolated plant occurrence. Cultivated regions occur further south along the road. Maosi, P. 532 Oahu BISH 2020-03-10
18 Cajanus cajan University of Hawaii campus Waste field Preserved_Specimen Small shrub. Yellow flower Hume, E.P. 63 Oahu BISH 1930-11-15
19 Cajanus cajan Wailuku canefields Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 8701 Maui BISH 1910-01-01
20 Cajanus cajan Palolo Valley Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 28 Oahu BISH 1919-11-02
21 Cajanus cajan Honolulu. Keeaumoku Street Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 12807 Oahu BISH 1943-01-01
22 Cajanus cajan Honolulu, Vineyard Street, E. side, Palama, N. of Nuhelawai Bridge, between sidewalk and field Preserved_Specimen Variety with red and yellow fls, red-stripped pods. Egler, F.E. Oahu BISH 1937-02-18
23 Cajanus cajan Koloa District; Kalaheo, Puuwai Road Preserved_Specimen Small tree of nine ft. Leaves dark dull green with slight grey cast above, below dull grey-green with yellowish- green midvein; clayx yellowish-green with dark maroon-brown linear mottling; standard dark brick red, glossy without, flat yellow within with patch of red at base on either side; wings yellow; keel whitish-green with heavy red blush. Flynn, T.W. 3762 Kauai BISH 1990-02-08
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