Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S. M. Almeida, Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Reject, score: 9 (Go to the risk assessment)
European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization risk analysis and report.

Other Latin names:  Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, Pueraria thunbergiana(Sieb. & Zucc.) Benth., Pueraria triloba (Houtt.) T. Makino, Dolichos lobatusWilld.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Japanese arrowroot, kudsu

Fijian: nggariaka, wa yaka, yaka

Niuean: aka, aka fala, fou gau

Samoan: a‘a, a‘a

Tongan: aka, akataha, fue‘ae puaka

Wallisian: aka

Yapese: dedai, deday

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Coarse, twining or creeping vine with thickened or tuberous roots. Stems up to 10 m long, somewhat woody, covered with long, yellow-brown hairs. Leaves alternate, trifoliate, with a rachis 8-20 cm long. Leaf margins wavy, leaf surfaces softly pubescent. Flowers in many-flowered axillary racemes 15-40 cm long. Calyx long-hairy, divided more than half way into five unequal lobes; corolla papilionaceous, violet with a yellow spot, and 14-20 mm long. Stamens ten, diadelphous. Fruit a densely brown-hairy, flat, oblong-linear pod 9-12 cm long, 8-12 seeded"  (Whistler, 1983; p. 53).

A slow growing climbing legume with a thickened edible tuber. It has a thick stem which is hairy at the base. The leaves are hairy. The tuber is shaped like a cassava root (GPPIS)

Habitat/ecology:  Wild forms grow between 30 and 1860 m. Cultivated forms are more common in high altitude areas up to 2700 m altitude (GPPIS). In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in low elevation disturbed areas, at least up to 700 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 693-695). In Tonga, "frequent in thickets" (Yuncker, 1959; pp. 147-148).

Propagation:  Primarily by runners and rhizomes. Limited spread by seed.

Native range:  Eastern or southern Asia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 43)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 47)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Garber 651, Whistler 1377
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	probably introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 37)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 9) "Introduced and naturalised in the Hundred Acre Reserve". Voucher cited: W.R. Sykes NI 529 (CHR)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Chuuk Islands	native	Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 117)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kambara Island	introduced invasive cultivated abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 226-227) Voucher cited: Smith 1268
Fiji Fiji Islands	Lakemba Island	introduced invasive cultivated abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 226-227) Voucher cited: Garnock-Jones 823
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive cultivated abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 226-227) Voucher cited: Gillespie 4703
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 226-227) Vouchers cited: Seemann 114, DA 13909, Bierhorst F167
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 226-227) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 161, Degener 14942, Smith 9668, Greenwood 161A, DA 5629, DA 11746, DA 10791, DA 3371
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 159) Voucher cited: Florence 4931
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 159) Vouchers cited: Fosberg & Sachet 63135, Florence 3797, BRY 26681
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 159) Voucher cited: BRY 26539
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 159) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 67758, Florence 7726
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 693, 695, 1879)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 693, 695, 1879)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 693, 695, 1879)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 693, 695, 1879)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007) As Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96) Presence not verified.
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	probably native cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 88-89) Voucher cited: Virot 1573
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	native	Jaffré, T./Morat, P./Veillon, J-M./Rigault, F./Dagostini, G. (2001) (p. 78)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	probably native cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 88-89) Vouchers cited: Montrouzier 54 (LY), Vieilard 377, Pancher s.n. s.loc., Balansa 3330, Pennel 44, Cribs 1206, Compton 605, Gifford 3, MacKee 4249, Blanchon 1477 (NOU), Botton in Veillon 1114 (NOU), Corbasson in MacKee 20287
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	probably native cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 88-89) Vouchers cited: Virot 1018, MacKee 23553
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Yande	probably native cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 88-89) Voucher cited: Däniker 2971
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced abo. intro.	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 159) Voucher cited: CHR 150547
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 27)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 25)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. (1997) (p. 35) Voucher cited: 10871
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 65) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9711 (BISH), Yuncker 10124 (BISH), Yuncker 10227 (BISH) "Common along roadsides, in plantations, waste areas, and clearings".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 50)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 117)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 102)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 98)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 71)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 68)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 104)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘ano Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 74)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 147-148) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15984
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Tofua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 31) Voucher cited: Scarth-Johnson 12
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 147-148) "Frequent throughout Tonga".
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 62)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 147-148) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15556
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 31) Vouchers cited: Lister s.n., Soakai 267
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 147-148) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15176
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuatoputapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 147-148) Voucher cited: Hürlimann 354
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 68)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 31) Voucher cited: Crosby 35
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 147-148) Cited: Crosby.
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 27)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
North Korea North Korea	North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 351)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Comments:  A serious environmental weed in the southern US. Proposed as a noxious weed in South Africa.

An aboriginal introduction to Western Polynesia, cultivated for its edible root.

Fosberg et al (1979; p. 117) list as a native species on Palau and Yap.

Control: 

Physical: Frequent close cutting will exhaust the plant's stored food supply in the roots and will eventually kill it.

Chemical: Treatment with a systemic herbicide (may need to be repeated).

Additional information:  Fact sheet on Pueraria lobata var. montana on the web site of the Alien Plants Working Group, "Weeds Gone Wild".
1-pagecolor-illustrated info sheet from HEAR
Kudzu ("Pueraria lobata" [now Pueraria montana]) factsheet  (PDF format) from Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation's invasive plant species list
Photos and additional information at University of Florida, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
Photos and additional information at the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants.
Information from the Purdue University NewCROP web site.
European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization datasheet (PDF format).
Information from the World Agroforestry Centre's AgroForestryTree Database.

Additional online information about Pueraria montana is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Pueraria montana may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2005. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

Jaffré, T./Morat, P./Veillon, J-M./Rigault, F./Dagostini, G. 2001. Composition and characterisation of the native flora of New Caledonia. Documents Scientifiques et Techniques, II4, IRD, Centre de Noum&#eacute;a, 121 p.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Merlin, M./Kigfas, A./Keene, T./Juvik, J. 1996. Giddi nge gakiiy nu Wa‘ab: Plants, People and Ecology in Yap State. Program on Environment, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 121 pp.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Smith, Albert C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 3. 758 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

U. S. Government. 2006. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1983. Weed Handbook of Western Polynesia. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Eschborn. 151 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. The weeds of Manu‘a [unpublished checklist]. 18 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Whistler, W. A./Atherton, J. 1997. Botanical survey of the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Niue. Unpublished technical report. 76 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.