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Cathetus distichus

(Hook. & Arn.) R.W.Bouman (2022)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Phyllanthaceae Genus: Cathetus

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Monoecious or apparently sometimes dioecious shrubs 0.3–1(–3) m tall.

Stems: Stems erect or when more than 1 m long, usually scandent with watery sap, branching non–phyllanthoid, main stem leafy and bearing flowers.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, distichous. Blades variable in shape, lanceolate to elliptic, sometimes ovate or broadly elliptic, (9–)15–65(–85) mm long, (5–)10–30(–34) mm wide. Apex acute to rounded. Base rounded or sometimes slightly cordate. Surfaces glabrous or with a few widely scattered hairs. Margins entire. Petioles 0–3(–4) mm long. Stipules cordate, 1–2 mm long, deciduous.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary cymes (if staminate) or sometimes solitary (if pistillate). Flowers unisexual. Calyx of staminate flowers with 6 lobes, ca. 1–1.3 mm long. Calyx of pistillate flower 6-lobed, ca. 3 mm long. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens in staminate flowers 3; filaments distinct. Ovary superior; styles distinct, deeply bifid.

Fruit: Capsules green to brown; depressed–globose; 3–3.5 mm in diameter; explosively dehiscent. Seeds angled; ca. 1 mm long.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Mesic forest; often on steep slopes or ridge tops; sometimes in dry shrubland.

Elevation Range: 60–950 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Kaua'i Endemic
O'ahu Endemic
Molokai Endemic
Lana'i Endemic
Maui Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Phytotaxa 540 (1) p. 15 (2022)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:627 (K, O, Mo, L, EM, WM [as Phyllanthus distichus]); Bouman et al. 2022:15 (Syn. Phyllanthus distichus = Cathetus distichus)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
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