img

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

img

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

img

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 Honolulu, University of Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. 252 Oahu BISH 1950-02-14
2 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
3 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
4 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
5 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
6 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
7 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
8 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
9 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
10 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
11 Cordia dichotoma Herbarium of Bernice P. Bishop Museum Preserved_Specimen Wilder, G.P. 252 Oahu BISH 1930-11-13
12 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu; Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 620313003 Oahu BISH 1962-03-13
13 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu Preserved_Specimen fruits dull pink. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1944-11-05
14 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
15 Cordia dichotoma Koolau Mountain Range: Manoa Valley: University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 6240 Oahu BISH 1962-01-22
16 Cordia dichotoma Honolulu, 45-4966 Kam Hwy Preserved_Specimen Judd, B. Oahu BISH 1984-12-18
17 Cordia dichotoma Pali road Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-06-07
18 Cordia dichotoma Oahu Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1947-05-01
19 Cordia dichotoma Pali road Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-06-07
20 Cordia dichotoma Ward Street, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-06-07
21 Cordia dichotoma Oahu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH 1958-06-01
22 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
23 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
24 Cordia dichotoma Ewa, Kapolei, abandoned sugarcane land Disturbed vegetation. Preserved_Specimen Low, spreading tree. Mansker, G. Oahu BISH 2005-11-28
25 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
26 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
27 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
28 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
29 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
Back to Top