Family: Fabaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Widely naturalized outside native range
- Disturbance-adapted weed with negative environmental impacts
- Host for crop pathogens
- Tolerates many soil types
- Smothers other vegetation
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively at nodes
- Self-compatible
- Seeds dispersed by animals (internally), intentionally by people, secondarily by water and as a contaminant of soil, garden waste or other fodder
- Able to reach maturity quickly (in 12 months)
- Prolific seed production
- Hard-coated seeds capable of forming a persistent seed bank (longevity unknown)
- Intolerant of heavy grazing, but tolerates fire
Low Risk Traits:
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
- Provides fodder for livestock
- Non-toxic
- Shade reduces productivity (thrives in high light environments)
- Herbicides may provide effective control