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Heliconia metallica

Planch. & Linden ex Hook. (1862)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Zingiberales Family: Heliconiaceae Genus: Heliconia

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs 1.5–3 m tall.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Longest blade 50–80 cm long, 10–35 cm wide, lower surface green to dark maroon. Margins entire. Prominent reticulate venation. Petiolate and sheathing, petioles 3–8 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers 4–7 per cincinnus, in erect inflorescences up to 25 cm long (exc. peduncle), rachis pink to red or green, glabrous to puberulent, cincinnal bracts red to green, distichous, 5–8 per inflorescence, 4–8 cm long, 2–3 cm wide at base, glabrous to floccose, margins straight to involute, middle bract with apex acuminate; perianth pink to red with white apex, 4.5–5.5 cm long, glabrous. Flowers bisexual (perfect), perianth consisting of 2 whorls connate at base. Calyx of 2 connate abaxial sepals and 1 nearly distinct adaxial sepal. Corolla of 3 petals, connate except for distinct margins opposite distinct sepal. Fertile stamens 5, staminode 1; opposite distinct sepal; filaments linear, attached to base of perianth tube; anthers tetrathecal, opening longitudinally. Ovary inferior, white with dark green apex, glabrous. 3-celled; ovules 1 per cell, erect; style 1.

Fruit: Drupes blue; glabrous. Seeds surrounded by a stony; roughened endocarp (pyrenes); embryo straight; endosperm copious.

Ploidy: 2n = 16; 18; 20; 22

Habitat: Cultivated as an ornamental; now naturalized in Mānoa Valley O'ahu.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Bot. Mag. 88: t. 5315 (1862)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1441 (O); Staples & Herbst 2005:662 (KEY), 665 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Heliconia metallica Honolulu, 3730 Round Top Dr. with Toona ciliata, Heliconia humilis, Ruellia graecizans; forest of cinder cone crater Preserved_Specimen to 1.5-3 dm; leaf blades 5-8 dm; inflorescences 2.5 dm Ray, G. 25 Oahu BISH 1997-08-09
2 Heliconia metallica Kapalama Hts, Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1932-06-06
3 Heliconia metallica Honolulu, Nuuanu Valley, Luakaha In damp, shaded garden. Preserved_Specimen lvs grn above, metallic red beneath; fls crimson. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1941-06-12
4 Heliconia metallica Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Plants 2-2.5 m ht; most inflorescences on bladeless stems 20-80 cm long at the base of the plants, a few on foliage-bearing taller stems. Lau, J. 2738 Oahu BISH 1986-08-11
5 Heliconia metallica Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Plants 2-2.5 m ht; most inflorescences on bladeless stems 20-80 cm long at the base of the plants, a few on foliage-bearing taller stems. Lau, J. 2738 Oahu BISH 1986-08-11
6 Heliconia metallica Palolo valley Growing along trail in shady wet/mesic forest near stream.Surrounded by;; Persea americana, Avocado, Aleurites moluccanus, Cocos nucifera, Odontonema cuspidataum, Szyzygium cuminii, Epipremnum aureum, Averrhoa carambola(planted). Preserved_Specimen Corollas bright red turning white at apex. Underside of leaf pale green purple. Arthur, K. 12 Oahu BISH 2025-01-13
7 Heliconia metallica Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Plant to approximately 6-8 ft, sepals & petals red w. white tips. Kirchoff, B.K. 89252 Oahu BISH 1989-05-24
8 Heliconia metallica Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Plant w. inflorescence to approximately 10 ft; bracts grn; perianth red tipped w. creamy white. Kirchoff, B.K. 89236 Oahu BISH 1989-05-24
9 Heliconia metallica Lyon Arboretum, sec. 23 Preserved_Specimen Volunteer, herb, ca. 5 ft ht, fls red. Herbst, D.R. 4005 Oahu BISH 1974-02-06
10 Heliconia metallica Koloa, NTBG in Lawai valley, Zingeberales collection behind Pump 6, East side of Lawai stream Preserved_Specimen Perennial rhizomatous herb 1.5 m tall, new growth slightly scurfy. Lvs glaborous, both surfaces green, Infloresence distichous, bracts green, with red margins, pedicel and ovary pink, tepals deep pink D.H. Lorence 11015 Kauai BISH 2025-03-31
11 Heliconia metallica Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Plant to approximately 6-8 ft, sepals & petals red w. white tips. Kirchoff, B.K. 89252 Oahu BISH 1989-05-24
12 Heliconia metallica Lyon Arboretum, sec. 23 Preserved_Specimen Volunteer, herb, ca. 5 ft ht, fls red. Herbst, D.R. 4005 Oahu BISH 1974-02-06
13 Heliconia metallica 2436 Burbank St., J. L. Robertson's garden Preserved_Specimen Plant 7-8 ft ht; fls bright-red; lvs velvety green on top, red beneath. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1939-07-04
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