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Pithecellobium dulce

(Roxb.) Benth. (1844)

This name is accepted

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

‘opiuma [opiuma], Manila tamarind

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees or shrubs 2–15 m tall.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets obliquely elliptic, with a nectary between them, 0.7–5 cm long, 0.3–2.3 cm wide, opposite. Apex rounded. Base rounded. Leaflet margins entire. Petiolate, leaflets sessile. Stipules present as a pair of spines; Leaflet stipels present as a pair of spines.

Flowers: Flowers uniform, in heads, greenish white to pale yellow, in solitary, axillary heads 6–9 mm in diameter (excl. stamens), these arranged in racemose or paniculate inflorescences. Flowers mimosaceous, bisexual (perfect). Calyx campanulate, shortly lobed. Corolla 3–4 mm long, funnel form, lobed above the middle. Stamens numerous; filaments connate at base, long–exserted. Ovary superior, flattened; ovules numerous.

Fruit: Pods brown to reddish or pink; spirally twisted; slightly flattened; coriaceous; 10–15 cm long; 1–1.6 cm wide; dehiscing along both sutures; flat; valves chartaceous; reddish within; not segmented. Seeds several; black; glossy; asymmetrically obovate; ca. 9–12 mm long; 7–8 mm wide; with a fleshy white to reddish aril; pleurogram ca. 7.5 mm long and 3 mm wide; several; compressed; with a distinct pleurogram; arillate.

Ploidy: 2n = 26

Habitat: Dry to mesic; disturbed areas.

Elevation Range: 3–50 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Naturalized
Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Potentially naturalizing
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Birds
Forestry

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Notes

  • 3-50 m
  • Description digitized by Olivia Kraus
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • all main islans except lanai and kaho'olawe
  • introduced prior to 1871

Bibliography

Name Published In: London J. Bot. 3: 199 (1844)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:691 (Ni, K, O, Mo, M, H); Oppenheimer & Bartlett 2002:8 (L); Staples & Herbst 2005:298 (KEY), 321 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Pithecellobium dulce Kamanele Park Preserved_Specimen Tree 35'. Fruits spiralled; seeds black, with surrounding white aril. Ishikawa, S. 38 Oahu BISH 1972-01-17
2 Pithecellobium dulce University of Hawaii @ Manoa Campus HUMAN_OBSERVATION Friday, J.B. Oahu 12/9/2011
3 Pithecellobium dulce Honolulu, Kapiolani Park Preserved_Specimen Tree 9 m. tall in full sun. Stamens white. Flowers have a slight pleasant odor (in the evening). Lau, J. 1249 Oahu BISH 1985-07-23
4 Pithecellobium dulce Dry slope in Diamond Head Crater Preserved_Specimen Tree 3-4 m. tall. Christophersen, E. 1463 Oahu BISH 1931-01-22
5 Pithecellobium dulce Behind Department of Health (State) on Punchbowl Street by parking lot Preserved_Specimen Large tree. Corn, C. Oahu BISH 1978-09-01
6 Pithecellobium dulce Behind Department of Health (State) on Punchbowl Street by parking lot Preserved_Specimen Large tree. Corn, C. Oahu BISH 1978-09-01
7 Pithecellobium dulce Honolulu, Pleasanton Hotel, on lawn, directly in front, on Wilder Ave, Preserved_Specimen Cult. Small tree, 6+ ft. high. Lvs. Veriegated white and green; no fls. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1939-11-11
8 Pithecellobium dulce Honolulu, Cultin Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 6070 Oahu BISH 1909-11-01
9 Pithecellobium dulce Mrs. Fosters Res.,Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12606 Oahu BISH 1916-01-01
10 Pithecellobium dulce Old naval Slatuu, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 260 Oahu BISH 1920-02-21
11 Pithecellobium dulce Olowalo Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 2266 Maui BISH 1920-05-08
12 Pithecellobium dulce Kalaupapa; Waihanau, Hunting Zone 1 Preserved_Specimen tree or shrub Wysong, M.L. 540 Molokai BISH 2004-12-16
13 Pithecellobium dulce unknown Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. BISH
14 Pithecellobium dulce Mrs.'Foster' Res. Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12606 Oahu BISH 1916-01-01
15 Pithecellobium dulce Honolulu, culs Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12596 Oahu BISH 1915-01-01
16 Pithecellobium dulce Kaumalapau Harbor Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 109917 Lanai BISH 1999-10-24
17 Pithecellobium dulce Roadsides, Kalihi Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 2535 Oahu BISH 1919-03-03
18 Pithecellobium dulce Kapiolani Park Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. 31 Oahu BISH 1929-08-09
19 Pithecellobium dulce Unversity of Hawaii Parking lot, zone 6 Preserved_Specimen Char, W.P. Oahu BISH 1982-01-30
20 Pithecellobium dulce North rim of Diamond Head Crater Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 10530 Oahu BISH 1930-05-10
21 Pithecellobium dulce Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Adee, K.T. Hawaii BISH
22 Pithecellobium dulce University of Hawaii campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. Oahu BISH 1962-01-23
23 Pithecellobium dulce Coast directly below Kealakekua, kona District With other introduced plants. On bare lava of relatively recent flow. Preserved_Specimen Shrubby tree to 12 feet, arils white, pods reddish. Carlquist, S. 2077 Hawaii BISH 1966-07-27
24 Pithecellobium dulce Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, Ahihi Bay at the N end of the reserve Pockets of vegetation near the seashore amongst a'a lava about 200 years old. Preserved_Specimen Small tree about 1.6 m tall; two pairs of leaflets only per leaf; in fruit and flower. Abbott, I.A. 91.22 Maui BISH 1991-03-05
25 Pithecellobium dulce Along coastal and inland trail in Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park Area highly modified by ancient Polynesians. Preserved_Specimen Predominately exotic vegetation. Higashino, P.K. 10238 Hawaii BISH 1984-04-07
26 Pithecellobium dulce Mokolii One tree and a bunch of seedlings. Preserved_Specimen Starr, F. 5041965 Oahu BISH 2005-04-19
27 Pithecellobium dulce Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range Along road and scattered throughout survey site. With Leucaena leucocephala, Cenchrus ciliaris, and Panicum maximum Preserved_Specimen 2 m tall. BISH staff 28 Oahu BISH 2021-04-30
28 Pithecellobium dulce Near Waialua Introduced. Roadside. Preserved_Specimen Tree 60 feet, 1 1/2 ft. diameter. Planted Little Jr., E.L. 31221 Molokai BISH 1976-09-16
29 Pithecellobium dulce Gully below Pahala, Kau District Growing on side of rocky gully in pastureland with kiawe trees. Preserved_Specimen Tree about 20' tall. No Flowers. Fruit red. Cuddihy, L.W. 844 Hawaii BISH 1981-08-02
30 Pithecellobium dulce Unversity of Hawaii, Honolulu Dry rocky pasture. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. Oahu BISH 1923-05-24
31 Pithecellobium dulce Honaunau Dry lava. Preserved_Specimen 15 ft. tree. St.John, H. 11036 Hawaii BISH 1931-03-13
32 Pithecellobium dulce Honolulu, Pleasanton Hotel Preserved_Specimen Tree 18 ft. tall. Leaves solid green at flowering time. St.John, H. 20333 Oahu BISH 1943-04-30
33 Pithecellobium dulce Leahi Peak (outer crest) Diamond Head Crater Southern slope. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Oahu BISH 1978-01-12
34 Pithecellobium dulce P.T.B.G Lawai Valley Preserved_Specimen Tree native to tropical America. Bark smooth, gray, spiny; flowers cream-colored. Occsinonal. Herbst, D.R. 2252 Kauai BISH 1971-12-21
35 Pithecellobium dulce Mokouia Valley Preserved_Specimen 8 m. tree, planted by trail in Prosopis thicket. St.John, H. 23595 Niihau BISH 1949-03-30
36 Pithecellobium dulce Honaunau HUMAN_OBSERVATION Friday, J.B. Hawaii 12/11/2007
37 Pithecellobium dulce Kalihi St., Honolulu. 15' alt Preserved_Specimen Weed. Grant, M.L. 7115 Oahu BISH 1934-07-18
38 Pithecellobium dulce Burns Field, Hanapepe. In weedy area between runway and beach Preserved_Specimen Stunted, windburned, much branched shrubs of five ft. Common. Flowers fragrant. Stamens white; style reddish. Flynn, T.W. 1607 Kauai BISH 1986-03-18
39 Pithecellobium dulce South Kona, above Honaunau Preserved_Specimen Tree 20 ft. tall, co-dominant with Propis in area. Red Fruit. Cuddihy, L.W. 2071 Hawaii BISH 1987-08-22
40 Pithecellobium dulce Kawaewae, dry hill side Preserved_Specimen Tree 8 m.x 2 dm. St.John, H. 22730 Niihau BISH 1947-08-12
41 Pithecellobium dulce Honolulu, Foster Botanic Garden Preserved_Specimen Pods dull brown with reddish tinge. Seeds black with crimson trail. Degener, O. 8899 Oahu BISH 1965-03-23
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