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Argemone glauca

(Nutt. ex Prain) Pope (1929)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Ranunculopsida Order: Ranunculales Family: Papaveraceae Genus: Argemone

kala, naule, pōkalakala [pokalakala], pua kala

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Erect, glaucous perennial herbs.

Stems: Stems somewhat woody at base, 7–15 dm long, branches suberect, usually moderately to densely covered with yellow, sharp, stiff prickles, bright yellow latex.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades oblong–elliptic, pinnately deeply lobed ca. ½–¾ to midrib, 8–21 cm long, 6–11 cm wide. Base sessile. Surfaces conspicuously glaucous, both surfaces usually with prickles on veins, these sometimes absent (Ka & H), margin teeth tipped with prickles. Margins irregularly sinuate–dentate. Petioles absent. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers terminal, solitary. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic, buds oblong, 1.6–2.4 cm long, smooth or prickly. Calyx of (2)3(–6) sepals, each with a subterminal horn tipped by a prickle, horns subterete, 3–5(–7) mm long, caducous. Corolla of 6 petals, white, broadly obovate, distinct, 3–5.5 cm long. Stamens ca. 70–80; filaments pale yellow; anthers linear, coiled after dehiscence, dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 3–6-carpellate, 1-celled; stigma purple, 3–7-lobed, 2–4 mm long at anthesis.

Fruit: Capsules ovoid to lanceoloid; 3–6 cm long; sparsely to densely covered with prickles 2– 6 mm long. Seeds numerous; blackish brown; dull; subglobose; 2–2.5 mm in diameter; reticulate; endosperm oily.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Coastal dry forest and subalpine forest.

Elevation Range: 0–1,900 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

  • The seeds and sap of the stalk used as a narcotic and analgesic for toothaches, neuralgia and ulcers; sap also used to treat warts (Krauss 1993:102).

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Easy. Seeds sprout in Fall, transplant to individual pots after 2nd/3rd true leaves develop, avoid overwatering, flowers after 3 months, after primary stalks have aged cut them back & new shoots emerge; rapid sprouting leads to containment problem (Culliney and Koebele 1999:134–136).

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Endemic
Kaua'i Endemic
O'ahu Endemic
Molokai Endemic
Lana'i Endemic
Kaho'olawe Endemic
Maui Endemic
Hawai'i Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

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Notes

  • All parts containing sap, stems/leaves/roots, have unknown array of alkaloids that will cause irritation, visual disturbances, fainting, coma, and possibly death

Bibliography

Name Published In: Man. Wayside Pl. Hawaii: 71 (1929)

Other References

Poisonous Plants of Paradise (Scott and Thomas) p.75

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Argemone glauca Kaluakoi, Molokai By roadside Preserved_Specimen Judd, W.W. Molokai BISH 1980-05-14
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