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Cordia dichotoma

G.Forst. (1786)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Boraginales Family: Cordiaceae Genus: Cordia

sebesten, sebesten plum

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees 3–4(–20) m tall.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades ovate to broadly ovate or elliptic, 6–13 × 4–9 cm. Apex obtuse to mucronate. Base rounded to broadly cuneate. Surfaces sparsely pubescent or glabrous. Margins usually subundulate to undulate dentate, rarely entire. Petioles 2–5 cm. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences terminating leafy lateral branches, dichotomously branched into corymbose cymes, widely spaced, 5–8 cm wide. Flowers dimorphic, sessile. Calyx campanulate, 5–6 mm, 5-lobed; lobes unequal, triangular, enlarged after anthesis, persistent. Corolla white, ca. as long as calyx; lobes shorter than tube, margin somewhat undulate. Stamens 5; filaments of staminate flowers ca. 3.5 mm; filaments of bisexual flowers 1–2 mm. Ovary superior, 4-loculed, glabrous; ovule 1 per locule. Styles twice 2-cleft, united portion 1–1.5 mm, first branches ca. 1 mm, second branches 2–3 mm; stigma spatulate. Rudimentary pistil globoss in staminate flowers.

Fruit: Drupes yellow or reddish; subglobose; 1–1.5 cm in diam.; with sticky mesocarp; surrounded by persistent calyx. Seeds without endosperm; cotyledons plicate.

Ploidy: 2n = 48; 50

Habitat: Open woods on slopes; mountain streamsides.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Birds

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Fl. Ins. Austr.: 18 (1786)

Other References

Herbarium Pacificum Staff 1996:3 (NEWNAT/O, DESCR); Staples & Herbst 2005:197 (KEY), 198 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cordia dichotoma Ewa, Kapolei, abandoned sugarcane land Disturbed vegetation. Preserved_Specimen Low, spreading tree. Mansker, G. Oahu BISH 2005-11-28
2 Cordia dichotoma Halsey Terrace area Volunteer in a hedge. Preserved_Specimen Tree w/long pendant branches, 15' tall, full fruit. Fruit pink, plump like a grape, spherical, upto 0.75 diam.; calyx saucer-shaped; pulp clear, very sticky, one-seeded. Denomie, C. Oahu BISH 1996-01-01
3 Cordia dichotoma Waimanalo; Bellows Airforce Base, back road Dry, dense koa haole scrub. Weedy area. Preserved_Specimen Cascading tree, 8-10 m tall; canopy 7-8 m across; trunk 30-40 cm across; lvs 6-8 cm long; 6 cm across; palmate venation, scruffy. Funk, E.J. Oahu BISH 1994-10-18
4 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu, Kalihi Street near Bishop Museum Preserved_Specimen Fr. Yellow and pink grapelike with very mucilaginous pulp. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1930-09-19
5 Cordia dichotoma Halsey Terrace area Volunteer in a hedge. Preserved_Specimen Tree w/long pendant branches, 15' tall, full fruit. Fruit pink, plump like a grape, spherical, upto 0.75 diam.; calyx saucer-shaped; pulp clear, very sticky, one-seeded. Denomie, C. Oahu BISH 1996-01-01
6 Cordia dichotoma Waimanalo; Bellows Airforce Base, back road Dry, dense koa haole scrub. Weedy area. Preserved_Specimen Cascading tree, 8-10 m tall; canopy 7-8 m across; trunk 30-40 cm across; lvs 6-8 cm long; 6 cm across; palmate venation, scruffy. Funk, E.J. Oahu BISH 1994-10-18
7 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu, University of Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. 252 Oahu BISH 1950-02-14
8 Cordia dichotoma Honouliuli village Preserved_Specimen Woody trees to 10m tall with arching to scandent branches. Small white fragrant flowers; fruits sticky outside, extremely viscid within. Hobdy, R.W. 4206 Oahu BISH 2005-06-22
9 Cordia dichotoma UH Campus Arboretum. On Campus Rd. near Hemenway Hall. Preserved_Specimen Large tree to 31 ft tall, with a spread of 53 ft. DSH 1.4 ft. Flowers perfect. Petals white. Leaves green, glabrous. Attracting honeybees. Haltom, J. 50 Oahu BISH 2023-03-28
10 Cordia dichotoma Kapolei. Ahupuaa of Honouliuli. Growing along roadside bordering old Abutilong menziesii site ajdacent to Kualakai pkwy. Preserved_Specimen Small woody plant about 1.5 m tall. Flowers absent. Fruit white, fleshy, maturing pink. Leaf margins slightly wavy when fresh, entire to sinuated. Thomas, M.K. 710 Oahu BISH 2024-08-15
11 Cordia dichotoma UHM Campus Arboretum. Krauss Hall. Preserved_Specimen Buds, no fruit and no flowers. Many ants. Circum (1 stem): 5 ft. Height: 45 ft. LCR: 67%. Crown Spread: 40x36 ft. Dieback: 20%. Density: 50-75%. Roath, K. 82 Oahu BISH 2024-04-08
12 Cordia dichotoma Manoa Campus, U. of H. No.147 on map of campus trees and plants Preserved_Specimen A cultivated tree with long, slender, pendent branches, white flowers, and cream-colored fruit. Herbst, D.R. 563 Oahu BISH 1967-09-02
13 Cordia dichotoma Honouliuli Village Preserved_Specimen Woody trees to 10m tall with arching to scandent branches. Small white fragrant flowers; fruits sticky outside, extremely viscid within. Hobdy, R.W. 4206 Oahu BISH 2005-06-22
14 Cordia dichotoma Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Tree of 20 ft. Calyx green, petals five, white. Stigma brnached, pale whitish green. Leaves dark green above pale below. Flynn, T.W. 1718 Kauai BISH 1986-05-08
15 Cordia dichotoma West door of Farrington Hall Preserved_Specimen Tubular calyx; tubular corolla 4/5 parted; stamens on corolla tube white and alternate 4/5; ovary superior, 1-celled, without style and with definite pore in place of stigma; lvs alternate. Lohman, M.L. Oahu BISH
16 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu. University of Hawaii. Tree erect. Near sausage tree Preserved_Specimen Tree. erect/ Friot f;esj-colored, sour, sticky. Hudson, L.G. Oahu BISH 1944-07-01
17 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu, grounds of Univ.of Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Fls.fragrant, corolla tubular, 5-lobed, calyx 3-5-lobed;stamens 5, attached betw. corolla lobes. Price, J.A. Oahu BISH 1942-10-27
18 Cordia dichotoma Oahu Preserved_Specimen Tree with long pendant branches, 15 ft. tall, full fruit. Fruit pink, plump like a grape, spherical, up to 0.75 in. diameter; calyx saucer-shaped; pulp clear, very sticky, one-seeded. Denomie, C. Oahu BISH 1996-01-01
19 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu Preserved_Specimen fruits dull pink. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1944-11-05
20 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu; Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 620313003 Oahu BISH 1962-03-13
21 Cordia dichotoma Oahu Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1947-05-01
22 Cordia dichotoma Pali road Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-06-07
23 Cordia dichotoma Ward Street, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-06-07
24 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu, 45-4966 Kam Hwy Preserved_Specimen Judd, B. Oahu BISH 1984-12-18
25 Cordia dichotoma Oahu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH 1958-06-01
26 Cordia dichotoma Pali road Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-06-07
27 Cordia dichotoma Herbarium of Bernice P. Bishop Museum Preserved_Specimen Wilder, G.P. 252 Oahu BISH 1930-11-13
28 Cordia dichotoma Koolau Mountain Range: Manoa Valley: University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 6240 Oahu BISH 1962-01-22
29 Cordia dichotoma Waimanalo; Bellows Airforce Base, back road Dry, dense koa haole scrub. Weedy area. Preserved_Specimen Cascading tree, 8-10 m tall; canopy 7-8 m across; trunk 30-40 cm across; lvs 6-8 cm long; 6 cm across; palmate venation, scruffy. Funk, E.J. Oahu BISH 1994-10-18
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