Family: Fabaceae

Origin, Description & Uses:
Psoralea axillaris (psoralea) is a shrub native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa, a region known for its diverse Mediterranean-type flora. This attractive plant is valued for its delicate foliage, pea-like flowers, and ability to thrive in dry, sunny conditions. Like many members of the pea family, it can contribute to soil health through nitrogen fixation. Psoralea is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental in drought-tolerant and native-style gardens, where it is appreciated for its soft texture and seasonal blooms that attract pollinators.

Risks & Threats:
Psoralea axillaris is considered a low-risk species for Hawaii. There is currently no evidence that it poses significant invasive threats or spreads aggressively in tropical island ecosystems. Its growth habits and ecological requirements appear to limit its ability to naturalize widely outside cultivation. As with any introduced species, responsible planting and monitoring are encouraged, but at this time psoralea is not known to present major environmental concerns in Hawaii.

High Risk Traits:

• Related species have become invasive
  
• Reported to form dense stands
  
• N-fixing (may alter soil chemistry)
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Seeds dispersed by gravity and intentionally by people
  
• Limited ecological information reduces accuracy of risk prediction

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or naturalization, but no evidence of widespread introduction outside native range
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Non-toxic
  
• No obvious adaptations for long-distance dispersal