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calopo

Scientific Name: Calopogonium mucunoides

Family: Fabaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Vine, Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides)

Calopo, scientifically known as Calopogonium mucunoides, is a vigorous annual or short-lived perennial legume recognized for its creeping and twining growth habit.

Considerations for Pets

  • Calopo is described as a hairy herb.
  • While generally having low palatability, the text does mention instances of it being consumed by cattle.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Calopogonium mucunoides Desv.
  • Common Names: Calopo, rabo de iguana (Colombia), falso oro (Brazil)
  • Family: Fabaceae (Legume family)
  • Kingdom: (Implied) Plant
  • Group: Dicot
  • Symbol: CAMU11
  • Taxonomic Status: Accepted

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native: Tropical America
  • Introduced: Tropical Africa, Asia (early 1900s), Australia (1930s), Cook Islands
  • Habitat: Naturalized in disturbed sites and waste areas. Commonly found in lowlands.

Ecological Role

  • Calopo is listed in the Global Compendium of Weeds as a very aggressive weed.
  • It is considered a pest weed in Queensland and is a non-declared weed under Queensland legislation.
  • The plant's aggressive creeping nature allows it to smother other vegetation.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Vigorous, creeping, and twining herb.
  • Forms a tangled mass of foliage, reaching 30 cm or more in height.
  • Coarsely brown-tawny pubescent (hairy).
  • Can reach several meters in length.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Used in pastures, intercropped with forage grasses.
  • Mentioned in the context of litter decomposition when included with signal grass, affecting carbon-to-nitrogen ratios.
  • Rhizobia are involved in symbiotic relationships.

Traditional and Agricultural Uses

  • Introduced as a pasture legume, although it has low palatability.
  • Used as a green manure and cover crop.
  • Used in pastures, intercropped with forage grasses.
  • Calopo provides soil protection against erosion.

Further Information

  • Australian Plant Census
  • Global Compendium of Weeds
  • Discover Life
  • EBSCOhost
  • Wikimedia Commons