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Cheirodendron trigynum

(Gaudich.) A.Heller (1895)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Apiales Family: Araliaceae Genus: Cheirodendron

‘ōlapa, lapalapa, ʻō.lapa [olapa]

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees 5–15 m tall; secretory canals present in most parts.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (palmate). Opposite. Leaflets 3–5(–7) ovate, elliptic to broadly ovate, or occasionally somewhat obovate, the largest, central one 5–15(–18) cm long, usually 1⁄2 to sometimes nearly as wide. Apex rounded, obtuse, or occasionally emarginate to caudate-acuminate. Base broadly cuneate to rounded or subtruncate. Blades coriaceous to chartaceous. midvein, margins, petiolule, and petiole usually tinged purple, petiolule often laterally compressed. Margins somewhat thickened, entire to serrate-crenate, the teeth strongly curved upward and in toward the margins, glandular, and usually less than 1 mm long. Veins flat on upper surface (slightly sunken in dried material). Petioles base often broad and sheathing the stem. Petioles 5–12 cm long, petiolules 1–3(–4) cm long, subterete. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in terminal, erect, oppositely branched panicles of umbellules. Inflorescences up to 20(–24) cm long. Bracts minute, subconnate, persistent, forming an involucel below the umbellules and pseudocalyx below each flower; pedicels 1.5–6 mm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect) and functionally staminate (the plants andromonoecious). Calyx of 5 short, basally connate teeth. Corolla of 5(6) petals, buds dark purple, mature petals purple externally, greenish within, valvate, caducous, triangular to ovate or oblong, apex inflexed. Stamens usually as many as and alternate with the petals, sometimes numerous, distinct, inserted at the edge of the epigynous nectary disk; 5, pale yellow, spreading. Ovary inferior, 2–4(5)-carpellate, carpels connate (rarely pseudomonomerous), with as many cells; ovules pendulous, 2 per cell, 1 abortive; styles 2–4(5), 1–2 mm long, distinct or connate up to ca. 1⁄2 their length and then forming a short, conical stylopodium, the distinct arms divergent to spreading.

Fruit: Drupe; green; ripening dark purple; exocarp fleshy; globose; or laterally compressed and orbicular or oblate to ovoid or obovoid; 3–7.5 mm long; pyrenes cartilaginous; laterally compressed; as many as styles. [Gaudichaud–Beaupé; 1830; Gray; 1854a; Heller; 1897; Herat; 1981; Hochreutiner; 1925; Krajina; 1931; Leveille; 1911a; St. John; 1959; Seemann; 1864–1868; Sherff; 1951c; 1952a; 1954a; 1962]; ovate to circular or subglobose; laterally compressed; weakly 3–4(5)–sided (strongly ribbed when dry); 5–8 mm long (incl. styles). Seeds 1 per pyrene; embryo small.

Ploidy: 2n = 24*

Habitat: Occurring in mesic to wet forest.

Elevation Range: 310–2,190 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

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

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • Cheirodendron trigynum is by far the most polymorphic member of the genus. Sherff (1954a) recognized 15 varieties and 3 forms, based primarily on differences in leaflet shape and carpel number, as well as fruit size and the number of flowers per um
  • Description digitized by Pumehana Imada

Bibliography

Name Published In: Minnesota Bot. Stud. 1: 870 (1895)

Other References

Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., & Sohmer, S. H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, Vols. 1 and 2 (No. Edn 2). University of Hawai'i and Bishop Museum Press.

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cheirodendron trigynum Kawaihau District. Makaleha Mtns. from Kapahi, end of Kahuna Road, Molepe Ridge Trail, from top of ridge trail into back above bowl and into weedy grassy flat lands. Disturbed Metrosideros-Dicranopteris lowland windward Forest W/ Andropogon, Pittosporum, Freycinetia arborea, Diplopterygium pinnatum, Ploysicas oahuensis, Pipturus, Perrottetia sandwicensis, Psidium cattleianum, Psidium guajava, Cyrtandra, Ilex, Psychotria, Te Preserved_Specimen Tangalin, N. 3259 Kauai BISH 2012-08-08
2 Cheirodendron trigynum Lihue District. Kahili Mtn. Park, Kahili Ridge Trail above water tank, along ridge just before radio tower. Lowland Windward Wet Forest w/ Metrosideros-Dicranopteris, W/Psychotria, Syzgium, Dubautia, Melicope clusifolia, Scaevola gaudichaudiana, Pritchardia flynnii, Rhynchospora sclerioides, Cyanea fissa, Bidens, Pllyscias oahuensis, Freycinetia arborea, Machaer. Preserved_Specimen Tangalin, N. 2060 Kauai BISH 2009-06-23
3 Cheirodendron trigynum KAUAI Waimea District. Alakai Wilderness Preserve. Wet Mesic Forest Metrosideros polymorpha, Melicope clusifolia, Leptecophylla tamelamelae, Vaccinium calycinum. Growing on forest ground off side of trail surrounded by ferns. Preserved_Specimen Romero, C. 2050423 Kauai BISH 2023-05-04
4 Cheirodendron trigynum Hanalei District. Alakai swamp trail. About 0.25 mils in Metrosideros-Dicranopteris linearis wet forest. With Cheirodendron spp., Scaevola procera, Bobea brevipes, Dodonaea viscosa, Ilex anomala, Coprosma kauaensis, Nestegis sandwicensis, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Psychotria greenwelliae, Santalum f.v. Preserved_Specimen Perlman, S. 23495 Kauai BISH 2013-05-31
5 Cheirodendron trigynum Kamakou Preserve, forest near Pu`u Kolekole, East Moloka`i. Montane Metrosideros forest with native shrubs and alien grasses. Preserved_Specimen Pratt, L.W. 1095 Molokai BISH 1982-05-19
6 Cheirodendron trigynum Pihea Trail Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1990-02-17
7 Cheirodendron trigynum Waimea District. Alakai Wilderness Preserve. On side of ridge. Wet Mesic Forest Cheirodendron sp., Metrosideros polymorpoha, Dicranopteris linearis, Smilax melastomifolia, Dianella sandwicense, Melicope clusifolia, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Vaccinium calycinum. Preserved_Specimen Romero, C. 3050623 Kauai BISH 2023-05-06
8 Cheirodendron trigynum Waimea District. Alakai Wilderness Preserve Wet Mesic Forest Cheirodendron sp., Cibotium menzeesii, Smilax melastomifolia, Metrosideros polymorpha, Peperomia sp., Dianella sandwicense, Leptecophylla tameiamalae, Vaccinium calycinum right next to stream on side of wall hanging ove stream Preserved_Specimen Romero, C. 9050823 Kauai BISH 2023-05-08
9 Cheirodendron trigynum Waimea District. Alakai Wilderness Preserve. On side of ridge. Wet Mesic Forest Cheirodendron sp., Metrosideros polymorpha, Dicranopteris lineraris, Smilax melastomifolia, Dianella sandwicense, Melicope clusifolia, Leptocophylla tamelamelae, Vaccinium calycinum. Preserved_Specimen Romero, C. 4050623 Kauai BISH 2023-05-06
10 Cheirodendron trigynum Kalauao. Ahupuaa of Aiea, central Koolau mountains. Growing on side of ridge in mesic/wet forest dominated by Dicranopteris, Bobea, Metrosideros, Antidesma, Cibotium, Sadleria, Diplopterygium, Syzygium, and others. Preserved_Specimen Thomas, M.K. 282 Oahu BISH 2022-03-06
11 Cheirodendron trigynum Waimea District. Kohua Ridge, north facing slopes above Awini Stream. Metrosideros- Acacia montane mesic forest w/ Alphitonia ponderosa, Antidesma platyphylla, Euphorbia atrococca, Claoxylon sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Myrsine lanaiensis, Dracaena aurea, Ployscias kavaiensis, Planchonella sandwicensis, Bobe Preserved_Specimen Wood, K.R. 16747 Kauai BISH 2016-02-24
12 Cheirodendron trigynum Poamoho summit. Northern Koolau mountains. In mostly native summit wet/cloud forest of stunted trees, mostly dominated by Metrosideros, Melicope, Antidesma, Polyscias, Dubautia, Dicranopteris, Diplopterygium, Asplenium, Elaphoglossum, Bazzania, Leucobryum, Aerobryopsis, Campylopus, Vaccinium, Cibotium, and sadleria. Preserved_Specimen Thomas, M.K. 237 Oahu BISH 2022-01-27
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