Cook Islands Biodiversity Database

Species Page

Back to: «« Search Page | « Results Page

Add to My List

Macroptilium lathyroides

Phasey Bean

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Sorry, there are no multimedia or other resources available for this species yet.

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Phasey Bean, Erect Cow-pea, Wild Bean, Wild Pea-Bean

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE tropical America

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; Land, lowlands

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Manure; Weed - minor

KEY FEATURES: Erect herb, to 1.5m, sometimes twining. LEAVES alternate; compound with 3 leaflets. LEAFLETS oval 3x2cm, without lobes; hairless above. FLOWERS pea-like, purple-red. FRUITS pods to 10cmx3mm; valves strongly spiralled on opening. SEEDS 18-30 dark-brown.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Macroptilium atropurpureum differs in having lobed leaflets (especially the lateral leaflets), pods which do not twist on opening, 12-15 seeds only, and black-red flowers.

Enlarged Image of 'Macroptilium lathyroides'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
	-	+++	+			-		-

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Macroptilium lathyroides Linnaeus
SYNONYMS: Phaseolus lathyroides; Phaseolus semierectus; Macroptilium lathyroides var. semierectum

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Fabales (Legumes); FABACEAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Manure
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Weed - minor. Comments: Widespread in waste and fallow areas.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.683 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii
p.466 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.3/247 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
Please refer to our use policy.

Biodiversity Database: More Options | Help

My List: View List | Edit List | Clear List