Family: Fabaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Neoharmsia baronii (locally known as manangona) is a plant species native to Madagascar, where it occurs in its natural forest habitats. It is a woody plant that contributes to the structure and diversity of Madagascar’s unique ecosystems. While detailed information on its cultivation is limited outside its native range, species in this group are generally valued for their ecological role and, in some cases, may be used locally for wood or incorporated into native plant restoration or conservation plantings.

Risks & Threats
There are no known reports of Neoharmsia baronii being naturalized or invasive in Hawaiʻi or other tropical regions. As a result, it is currently considered to pose a low ecological risk. However, as with any non-native species, ongoing monitoring is recommended if it is ever introduced into cultivation, to ensure it does not spread beyond intended planting areas or negatively affect local ecosystems.

High Risk Traits:

• Suited to tropical/subtropical climates (native to northern Madagascar)
  
• Nitrogen-fixing woody plant (Family Fabaceae)
  
• Produces viable seed

Low Risk Traits:

• No naturalization outside native range
  
• Not a weed (garden, agricultural, or environmental)
  
• No congeneric weeds
  
• Lacks spines, thorns, burrs
  
• Critically endangered (very small, disturbed native range)
  
• No evidence of human-mediated or external animal dispersal
  
• Not wind-dispersed or bird-dispersed (no fleshy fruit)
  
• Not a prolific seed producer (<1000 seeds/m²)