Millettia pinnata
Fl. Bilaspur Distr. 1: 210. 1989.
Common names: Pongame oiltree
IntroducedIllustrated
Basionym: Cytisus pinnatus Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 741. 1753
Synonyms: Derris indica (Lamarck) Bennet Pongamia pinnata (Linnaeus) Pierre
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 11.
Trees to 30 m. Leaves 6–17 cm; petiole 2.5–5 cm; petiolules 0.5–1 cm, leaflet blades ovate to elliptic-oblong, 3–10 × 2–5 cm, base rounded, apex acuminate. Inflorescences: axis and pedicels glabrous or sparsely hairy. Flowers 12–14 mm; calyx 3–4 mm, sericeous; banner sericeous outside; style glabrous. Legumes 5–8 × 2.5–3 cm. Seeds compressed, 2 × 1 cm, lustrous; hilum lateral, elliptic, 1 mm. 2n = 22.
Phenology: Flowering year-round.
Habitat: Waste places, thickets.
Elevation: 0–50 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., s Asia (India), Australia, introduced also throughout tropics.
Discussion
Millettia pinnata has escaped from cultivation in Broward, Lee, Palm Beach, and Sarasota counties. Its seeds contain oil that may be used as a substitute for diesel fuel.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.