Canavalia cathartica
naturalizedFabaceae

Canavalia cathartica

Poisonous Sea Bean

Naturalized (non-native)non-native

Introduced and now reproducing on its own in the wild.

Canavalia cathartica, commonly known as maunaloa in the Hawaiian language, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. The Hawaiian name translates as long mountain. In English it may also be known as poisonous sea bean, ground jack bean, horse bean, silky sea bean or wild bean. It has a Paleotropical distribution, occurring throughout tropical regions in Asia, Africa, Australia, and many Pacific Islands, and extending just into subtropical areas. It is not...

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Seasonality
29 flowering · 7 fruiting annotations · iNaturalist · fetched Jul 2026
JFMAMJJASONDpeak
■ flowering (peak May)■ fruiting (peak January)

This is an inference, not a schedule. The curve reflects when observers annotated flowering and fruiting — which tracks observer effort as well as plant behavior, and pools all elevations and islands into one signal. Hawaiʻi’s microclimates vary enormously; a species may fruit in January at sea level and June at elevation. Use this to know when to look, then look.

Gallery · 9 · iNaturalist
open-licensed photos · click any to view its source
Where documented · 95 ahupuaʻa
documented occurrences · iNaturalist + GBIF · iNaturalist 194 · GBIF 289 records
Punaluʻu · HawaiʻiiNat 31 · GBIF 25 ✓
Waikīkī · OʻahuiNat 10 · GBIF 28 ✓
Pāʻā · KauaʻiiNat 16 · GBIF 21 ✓
ʻAlaeiki · MauiiNat 9 · GBIF 18 ✓
Hanalei · KauaʻiiNat 12 · GBIF 15 ✓
Wailua · KauaʻiiNat 8 · GBIF 12 ✓
Kailua · OʻahuiNat 7 · GBIF 12 ✓
Waiākea · HawaiʻiiNat 7 · GBIF 12 ✓
Hāʻena · KauaʻiiNat 9 · GBIF 8 ✓
Māhāʻulepū · KauaʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 11 ✓
Nāwiliwili · KauaʻiiNat 6 · GBIF 5 ✓
Kīlauea · KauaʻiiNat 5 · GBIF 4 ✓
Kalihiwai · KauaʻiiNat 4 · GBIF 4 ✓
Kapaʻa · KauaʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 6 ✓
Waiheʻe · MauiiNat 3 · GBIF 4 ✓
Hanamāʻulu · KauaʻiiNat 5 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waimānalo · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 5 ✓
Keʻanae · MauiiNat 3 · GBIF 3 ✓
ʻAlaenui · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 4 ✓
Kāneʻohe · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 3 ✓
Waimea · OʻahuiNat 3 · GBIF 2 ✓
Pololū · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 3 ✓
Waipiʻo · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 3 ✓
Hāmoa · MauiiNat 3 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kaʻawaloa · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 2 ✓
Kōloa · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 2 ✓
Honolulu · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Honopou · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Paeahu · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waiheʻe · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 2 ✓
Mākaha · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Honokalani · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Haʻikū · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waipā · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Wainiha · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Hauʻula · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waimea, Waikoloa · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Puʻuʻeo · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Heʻeia · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Keālia · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waikoko · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kawailoa · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Wailuku · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kahana · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kaueleau · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Nāmāhana · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waipiʻo · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kalāheo · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓