Calliandra calothyrsus (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Calliandra calothyrsus Meisner

Protologue: Linnaea 21: 251 (1848).

Family: Leguminosae - Mimosoideae

Chromosome number: 2n= 22

Synonyms

• Calliandra confusa Sprague & Riley (1923),
• C. similis Sprague & Riley (1923),
• C. acapulcensis (Britton & Rose) Standley (1936).

Vernacular names

• Calliandra, red calliandra (En)
• Indonesia: kaliandra
• Malaysia: kaliandra
• Philippines: calliandra.

Origin and geographic distribution

Although originally described from Surinam, where it was probably introduced, C. calothyrsus is native to humid and sub-humid Central America from southern Mexico to central Panama, between 8-19°N. In 1936 it was introduced from Guatemala into Java, where it became well established. In view of its excellent performance in Indonesian plantations it is now planted in other countries of South-East Asia and tested in Africa, Australia, some Latin American countries and Hawaii.

Uses

In its native area, C. calothyrsus was not known to be useful. However, in Indonesia where it was originally introduced as a green manure crop for timber plantations, it has become favourably known for its many uses. It is primarily grown as a source of small-size fuelwood for household use and small industries, is widely planted for soil improvement, for erosion control on sloping lands and in ravines, and to suppress alang-alang (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel). The wood is suitable for charcoal, pulp and paper, and fibre board production. C. calothyrsus is also used in alley-cropping systems as a source of green manure, in planted fallow, and in fire-breaks. It has shown promise as an understorey plant in coconut plantations with about 60% light transmission. In forestry it is used as a nurse tree for partially shade-tolerant timber species (e.g. Agathis spp.). It has potential as a high quality source of leaf protein for supplementing low quality forages and crop residues. Its beautiful red "powderpuff" flowers make it an attractive ornamental, and the flowers produce a good quality nectar for honey. It is a suitable host for the lac insect (Laccifer lacca).

Production and international trade

During the 1970s, C. calothyrsus became well established in Indonesia, its area increasing from about 60 000 ha in the late 1960s to 170 000 ha by the early 1980s.

Properties

Leaves of C. calothyrsus contain per 100 g dry matter: crude protein 22 g, fibre 30-75 g, ash 4-5 g, fat 2-3 g, N 3-3.5 g, P 0.17 g, and K 0.58 g. The high content of tannins (up to 11%) results in low in vitro digestibility of dried foliage of only 35%. There is however, increasing evidence that fresh material has a higher digestibility rate of 60-80%. Such fresh foliage can be fed to livestock in addition to or as a replacement for commercial concentrates; it can compose up to 30% of mixed diets. High levels of tannin also slow down the rate of microbial breakdown of the organic matter, reducing its value as a source of nitrogen-rich green manure.

The weight of 1000 seeds is 50-70 g.

The wood has an air-dry density of 510-780 kg/m³and is strong and easy to saw. The fibre length is 0.66-0.84 mm and the wood contains 49-54% cellulose and 20-23% lignin. The pulp and paper-making properties of calliandra are satisfactory and are comparable to dipterocarps and appropriate for kraft paper manufacture. Calliandra pulp is easily bleached, but wood dimensions are generally small, making handling and chipping difficult. The energy value of the wood is 18 900-19 950 kJ/kg.

Description

• Unarmed shrub or small tree, (1.5-)4-6(-12) m tall, bole up to 30 cm in diameter, bark blackish brown, crown dense.
• Leaves alternate, bipinnate, rachis 10-19 cm long, without glands, with (3-)6-20 pinnae (2-)4-7(-11) cm long, each with 19-60 pairs of dark green leaflets; leaflets opposite, oblong, 5-8 mm × 1 mm, acute.
• Inflorescence terminal, composed of few to many umbelliform flower heads aggregated into a spike-like raceme 10-30 cm long.
• Flower actinomorphic, showy; calyx 2 mm long; corolla 5-6 mm long, pale green; stamens numerous, 4-6 cm long, united at base, purplish red.
• Fruit a pod, linear-oblong and slightly tapering from top to base, flattened, 7-11 cm × 1.0-1.3 cm, margins thickened and raised, sometimes finely pubescent, dehiscing elastically from the apex, 3-15-seeded.
• Seed ellipsoid, flattened, 5-7 mm long, dark brown mottled.

Growth and development

Early growth is rapid, on good soil seedlings can reach 2.5-3.5 m in height in 6 months and 3-5 m in 1 year. Calliandra reached 6.0 m in height and 5.8 cm in diameter in 2 years in the Philippines. Roots develop quickly and may reach 1.5-2 m depth in 4-5-month-old plants. It forms both superficial and deep penetrating roots. It easily forms root nodules in association with Rhizobium in which nitrogen is fixed. In its natural area of distribution C. calothyrsus flowers predominantly at the end of the rainy season and at the beginning of the dry season, but in Java it flowers throughout the year. Flowering may start in the first year, but good fruit set starts in the second year. Protandrous flowering and the difference in length between the stamens and style indicate outcrossing; the species has a low tolerance of selfing. Pollination is by insects and bats and fruits ripen 3 months after anthesis. Normally, relatively small quantities of seed are produced each year; most seed is produced during the dry season. In areas where pollinators are not in abundance, seed production is very poor as observed in tropical Africa. The presence of numerous thrips can also cause flower abortion and low seed production.

In humid climates the tree is evergreen, but in areas with a long dry season it is semi-deciduous. During severe drought trees die back, but generally recover when the rains return.

Around the age of 12 years the stem turns brittle, but vigorous new sprouts are readily formed. After pollarding a tree coppices vigorously and annual coppicing may be carried out for 10 years or more.

Other botanical information

Calliandra Benth. comprises about 130 species of shrubs and small trees of tropical and warm temperate regions, some of which are widely cultivated as ornamentals. C. acapulcensis, which occurs in an area geographically separated from the main distribution of C. calothyrsus, has long been considered a separate species. Because the differences between these two taxa are only slight, it is now considered a subspecies occurring in the northern range of C. calothyrsus. Due to the morphological similarity of C. calothyrsus to C. grandiflora (L'Hér.) Benth. and C. houstoniana (Miller) Standley, and the occurrence of hybrids between the latter two species, there is some confusion about species delimitation.

The white-flowered C. tetragona Benth. from Guatemala was also introduced into Java at the same time as C. calothyrsus. Because of its slower growth however, C. tetragona became less popular for plantations.

Ecology

In its native habitat, C. calothyrsus grows at 0-1300(-1850) m altitude in areas with an average annual precipitation of 700-3000 mm. It is not drought tolerant, but can withstand dry periods of (1-)2-6(-7) months with a rainfall of less than 50 mm. Waterlogging for 2 weeks or longer will kill the tree. In Java it is grown up to 1500 m altitude, but grows best between 250-800 m in areas with 2000-4000 mm annual rainfall and a dry period of 3-6 months. The plants require a mean annual temperature of (20-)22-28 °C, with mean maximum temperature range in the hottest month of 24-30 °C and mean minimum temperature range in the coldest month of 18-24 °C. C. calothyrsus is an aggressive colonizer due to its early flowering and seed set, but can be outcompeted in later successional stages by other species. It often invades areas with continual disturbance such as roadsides, river banks and shifting cultivation plots.

It grows on a variety of soil types, mainly cambisols, acrisols and nitosols with soil conditions ranging from fertile to relatively infertile, and from acidic to mildly alkaline. It can also be found on andosols in volcanic deposits, shallow or eroded metamorphic sandy clays or recent alluvial deposits. In Indonesia it prefers light soils and slightly acid conditions; best growth is observed on acid soils of volcanic origin. It tolerates acid soils of poor fertility, but growth decreases on compacted soils and trees are not tolerant of a lack of oxygen.

Propagation and planting

Calliandra is generally propagated from seed, either by direct seeding or by raising seedlings in the nursery. Seed germinates without pretreatment, but acid scarification or hot water treatment followed by soaking in the cooling water for 24 hours may improve the germination rate. The seed, however, is more heat sensitive than those of other legume trees and therefore hot water treatment should be applied cautiously. Seeds retain their viability for at least 2-3 years if stored at 4 °C in sealed containers; viability drops from 75% to 60% when stored at room temperature for one year.

Direct sowing in the field can be done in planting holes (5 seeds/hole) in furrows or by broadcasting on ploughed or burned lands. Aerial sowing has proved satisfactory in Java. Potted plants are transplanted when they are 20-50 cm tall and have a root-collar of 0.5-1 cm. Stumps may be taken from plants approximately 1 m tall by cutting the stem back to 30 cm and the roots to 20 cm. Vegetative propagation by cuttings is also possible, but use of large cuttings has not proved very successful. Two-node cuttings taken from young coppice shoots and treated with indole butyric acid (IBA) will root in about 14 days. Seedlings usually nodulate with native rhizobia and inoculation is only required in new areas. In Indonesia plants have been inoculated using Rhizobium strains CB 756 and CB 3171. Effective mycorrhizal associations may be slow to develop, resulting in poor early growth. However, once an effective mycorrhizal association has formed, growth is vigorous.

Areas to be planted are cleared completely. Spacing varies according to purpose. For firewood, planting distances applied are 1 m × 1-3 m; in alley cropping a spacing of 25-50 cm in contour rows and generally 4-6 m between the rows is used. For optimal leaf production in fodder banks, stands of up to 40 000 trees per ha (spacing 0.5 m × 0.5 m) can be used.

Husbandry

Because seedlings grow quickly, no special plantation management is needed, except for weeding in the first year. On infertile soils fertilizer will improve early growth, but calliandra is less responsive to fertilizer than other tree legumes. In alley-cropping systems, calliandra should be pruned in cycles of up to 4 months to limit shade on associated crops. In East Java the productivity of sugar cane and maize could be maintained in a rotation of 4 years of calliandra, followed by sugar cane for 4 years and maize for 2 years, although both sugar cane and maize require large amounts of nitrogen. In Western Samoa, however, alley cropping C. calothyrsus for 4 years with an annual dry matter yield of 7-13 t/ha could not sustain yields of the companion crop taro. At present, no specific management practices can be recommended for obtaining optimal wood, fodder or biomass production from C. calothyrsus and little is known about this species' potential to be combined with fodder grasses or other tree species in intensive systems. As C. calothyrsus is a pioneer species, growing in the early stages of a succession, it lacks the ability to compete in later successional stages; therefore mixed plantations with taller trees and dense crowns are not recommended.

Diseases and pests

No serious diseases or pests are recorded in Indonesia, but in the Philippines a stem-borer (Callimetopus sp.) causes damage to branches, without causing tree mortality, and Leucopholis irrorata attacks leaves, causing damage in trees planted as ornamentals. In Kenya, a rose flower beetle (Pachnoda ephippiata) has caused floral abortion and poor seed production to such an extent that the insect might limit the use of C. calothyrsus.

Harvesting

Harvesting for firewood can start after the first year, and can be followed by annual coppice cuts at the end of the dry season. Fodder can be harvested in cutting cycles of 6 weeks to 6 months. A cycle of 12 weeks proved satisfactory in a fodder production trial in South Sulawesi. To enhance growth, cutting should be carried out at 20-50 cm above the ground. If plants are coppiced too low or during too wet periods, stumps are liable to fungal attack.

Yield

On moderately fertile soils in Java, first harvests produced 5-20 m³/ha per year of fuelwood. On favourable sites on volcanic deposits, annual coppice harvests continued for 10-20 years with an annual yield of 35-65 m³/ha. For the Philippines the mean annual volume increment was 25.2 m³/ha on a fertile site during the first 2 years. In plantations in Indonesia annual dry fodder yield is 7-10 t/ha. In a trial in South Sulawesi up to 22 t/ha of leaves and up to 22 t/ha of wood were obtained with a tree density of 40 000/ha and a cutting cycle of 12 weeks. In Western Samoa an annual yield of 46.2 t/ha was achieved in an alley-cropping system when cut at an interval of 6 weeks during the first 1.5 years. When grown in fences, fodder dry matter yields of 1.8-3.2 t per km of fence in 10 months have been obtained. In Western Samoa alleys 4 m wide gave an annual dry matter yield over 4 years of approximately 10 t/ha. Calliandra will often outyield other legume trees on infertile soils, but the yields tend to be similar on more fertile, less acidic soils.

Genetic resources

A collection of C. calothyrsus germplasm covering 40 sites from 7 countries in Central America is maintained by the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Turrialba, Costa Rica and the Oxford Forestry Institute in the United Kingdom. It is assumed that the introduction of material of C. calothyrsus into Indonesia originated from only two germplasm sources from Guatemala. Therefore, genetic variation in the Indonesian material is very limited.

Breeding

The large morphological variation and wide ecological amplitude of calliandra suggest that significant genetic variation will exist between different geographic areas. Iso-enzyme research has shown the existence of 3 groups of provenances. Although genetic improvement of calliandra is still in its infancy, results of some early provenance testing show clear provenance × site interactions, e.g. for drought tolerance. However, no differences have been detected between provenances for wood density, energy value, or ash content. It appears that the seed originally introduced into Indonesia was derived from a fast-growing, less branching, taller ecotype. All existing plantations in Indonesia are derived from this introduction. As seed production is early and abundant, the proposed strategy for future breeding activities is to start an "open-pollinated" programme with careful progeny testing and heavy thinning before each seed harvest for the next generation.

Prospects

C. calothyrsus is a versatile plant used for various auxiliary applications. It has become popular because its high-quality, small-sized fuelwood can be readily produced in annual coppice rotations. Calliandra can also be used in different farming and in a number of agroforestry applications. It grows under a wide range of soil fertility conditions and is often outstanding on infertile sites. It is used extensively for reclamation of bare and degraded lands, including Imperata grasslands. Special attention has been given to its use as an alternative to Leucaena leucocephala (Lamk) de Wit on acid soils or areas infested with leucaena psyllid. Due to its high tannin content the microbial decomposition of calliandra green manure is slower than that of leucaena, resulting in slower nitrogen release. Its high production potential and high protein content make it a promising fodder crop to supplement low-quality forages. It has, for example, potential for use as a high protein feed for fish, rabbits and poultry. However, also due to the high tannin content, the palatability of calliandra is less than that of Leucaena leucocephala or Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp. Further studies are needed to ascertain its full potential as a green manure and as a fodder crop, with emphasis on its ability to improve soil fertility, on its nutritive value and potential for direct grazing. Care must be taken that this hardy plant does not become a weed.

Literature

• Evans, D.O., 1996. International Workshop on the genus Calliandra. Proceedings of a workshop held January 23-27, 1996, in Bogor, Indonesia. Forest, Farm, and Community Tree Research Reports, Special issue. Winrock International, Morrilton, Arkansas, United States. 268 pp.
• Gichuru, M.P. & Kang, B.T., 1989. Calliandra calothyrsus Meissn. in an alley cropping system with sequentially cropped maize and cowpea in southwestern Nigeria. Agroforestry Systems 9(3): 191-203.
• Gutteridge, R.C., 1992. Evaluation of the leaf of a range of tree legumes as a source of nitrogen for crop growth. Experimental Agriculture 28: 195-202.
• Hernandez, H.M., 1991. Taxonomia, distribucion, geografica y biologica reproductiva de Calliandra calothyrsus (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae), una especie con potencial agroforestal [Taxonomy, geographic distribution and reproductive biology of Calliandra calothyrsus (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae), a species with agroforestry potential]. Anales del Instituto de Biologia de la Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, serie Botanica 62: 121-132.
• Macqueen, D.J., 1992. Calliandra calothyrsus: Implications of plant taxonomy, ecology and biology for seed collection. Commonwealth Forestry Review 71(1): 20-34.
• Matheson, A.C., 1990. Breeding strategies for MPTs, Calliandra at CATIE. In: Glover N. & Adams, N. (Editors): Tree improvement of multipurpose species. Forestry/Fuelwood Research and Development (F/FRED) Project, Winrock International, Arlington & Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, Waimanalo, United States, Multipurpose tree species network Technical Series No 2. p. 87.
• National Academy of Sciences, 1983. Calliandra, a versatile small tree from the humid tropics. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., United States. 52 pp.
• Palmer, B., Macqueen, D.J. & Gutteridge, R.C., 1994. Calliandra calothyrsus - a multipurpose tree legume for humid locations. In: Gutteridge, R.C. & Shelton, H.M. (Editors): Forage tree legumes in tropical agriculture. CAB International, Wallingford, United Kingdom, pp. 65-74.
• Rosecrance, R.C., Rogers, S. & Tofinga, M., 1992. Effects of alley cropped Calliandra calothyrsus and Gliricidia sepium hedges on weed growth, soil properties, and taro yields in Western Samoa. Agroforestry Systems 19: 57-66.
• Verhoef, L., 1941. Voorlopige resultaten met enige uit tropisch Amerika ingevoerde Leguminosae [Preliminary results with some Leguminosae introduced from tropical America]. Tectona 34(10): 711-736.

Authors

K.F. Wiersum & I.K. Rika