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Portulaca sclerocarpa

A.Gray (1854)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-CoreEudicot Order: Caryophyllales Family: Portulacaceae Genus: Portulaca

‘ihi [ihi], ‘ihi mākole [ihi makole], po‘e [poe]

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs.

Stems: Stems prostrate to weakly ascending, up to ca. 2 dm long.

Roots: Taproot fleshy, tuberous, but becoming woody.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate or opposite. Blades subterete, 8–12 mm long, ca.1.5–2.5 mm wide. Surfaces pale grayish green, linear, sessile, upper ones occasionally involucrate around the flowers, succulent, with a dense tuft of yellowish brown hairs ca. 3–6 mm long in the axil. Margins entire. Sessile. Stipules 2, connate basally.

Flowers: Flowers usually 3–6 in dense, terminal, head-like cymes subtended by dense tufts of hairs 5–8 mm long and a series of involucrate leaves. bracteoles ca. 1.5 mm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic or rarely slightly irregular, sessile or subsessile. Calyx of 2 sepals; sepals imbricate, persistent, ca. 5 mm long, margins scarious. Corolla of 4–6(–8), white, pink, or pink with a white base, obovate, ca. 10 mm long, distinct or connate at base, imbricate. Stamens ca. 30; filaments usually puberulent; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary partly inferior, 2–3(–9)-carpellate, soon becoming 1-celled; ovule placentation free-central; ovules numerous; styles 2–9, 8–branched.

Fruit: Capsules membranous; broadly ovoid; 4–4.5 mm long; indurate; the walls 0.18–0.5 mm thick; indehiscent or tardily circumscissile ca. ⅓ from base. Seeds dark reddish brown; glossy; ca. 0.4–0.6 mm long; the surface stellulate–rugulose.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Uncommon; occurring primarily in dry habitats such as subalpine woodland; bare cinders; and near steam vents.

Elevation Range: 1,030–1,630 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • The fruits of Portulaca sclerocarpa are 1/8 inch oval capsules and are filled with dark reddish brown, shiny seeds. The capsules remain closed, even when ripe.
  • To remove the seeds from the capsules, air dry them at room temperature in a bowl or paper bag. Carefully rub the capsules through a strainer with the appropriate size mesh. The seeds should fall through leaving the debris in the strainer.
  • Sow the cleaned seed on the surface of a pre-moistened, sterile, well draining mix. Do not cover the seeds with soil. (Bornhorst 1996; Lilleng-Rosenberger 1998; Wagner 1990)
  • Portulaca sclerocarpa is easy to grow from tip cuttings. Rooting hormones and mist systems are not necessary. Cuttings should be 2 to 5 inches long and the lower leaves should be removed. Sterile potting mix can be used as a rooting medium. The cuttings should be watered daily. They will root in a couple of weeks. (Bornhorst 1996) [Data from Herring, E. C., & Criley, R. A. (2003). The Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Web Site: Developing a Webbased Information Resource. HortTechnology, 13(3), 545-548. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawnprop/]

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Lana'i Endemic
Hawai'i Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: U.S. Expl. Exped., Phan. 1: 141 (1854)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1074 (L, H)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN c. n. forbes 243 Hawaii US 6/23/1911
2 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Locally common in open area of fumaroles, formerly Metrosideros forest. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN fosberg, f.r. collector number: 46059 Hawaii BISH 3/20/1965
3 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN st.john, h. baldwin, p.; catto, r.j.; longley, p. collector number: 18408 Maui BISH 12/19/1937
4 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information On bare volcanic sand or gravel. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H. 18426 Hawaii BISH 12/20/1937
5 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Arid ash. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Degener, O. 11342 Hawaii BISH 10/14/1929
6 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information On bare volcanic sand or gravel. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN st.john, h. baldwin, p.; catto, r.j.; longley, p. collector number: 18426 Hawaii BISH 12/20/1937
7 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN O Degener|E B Bartram|Iwasaki AK 1/27/1930
8 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN charles n. forbes forbes 243h CHRB 6/23/1911
9 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN C. N. Forbes 243 F 6/23/1911
10 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener h43 MO 12/20/1922
11 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener 11343 MPM 9/29/1929
12 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information On bare volcanic ash in sun. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener h43 NY 12/20/1922
13 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Favoring volcanically heated plain. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener 35207 NY 4/1/1981
14 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN h. mann jr. 340 NY
15 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener 11341 NY 1/27/1930
16 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN f. r. fosberg 46059 NY 3/20/1965
17 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener 11343 NY 9/29/1929
18 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN o. degener 11343 Hawaii US 9/29/1929
19 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Metrosideros mesic shrubland PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Steve Perlman 11477 Hawaii PTBG 1/18/1991
20 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN c. n. forbes 234.h S 6/23/1911
21 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN robert gustafson RSA 11/8/1982
22 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information scoria sands PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Vladimir J. Krajina 611226008 UBC 12/26/1961
23 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN h. st. john, r. catto, p. longley & -. baldwin 18408 Hawaii US 12/19/1937
24 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H.; Catto, R. J.; Longley, P.; Baldwin, -. 18408 Hawaii US 12/19/1937
25 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN h. st. john, p. baldwin, r. catto & p. longley 18426 Hawaii US 12/20/1937
26 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Forbes, C. N. 234.H Hawaii US 6/23/2011
27 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Fosberg, F. R. 46059 Hawaii US 3/20/1965
28 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Fosberg, F. R. 56737 Hawaii US 3/22/1977
29 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lanai US
30 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN f. r. fosberg 56737 Hawaii US 3/22/1977
31 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H.; Baldwin, P.; Catto, R. J.; Longley, P. 18426 Hawaii US 12/20/1937
32 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Degener, O. 11343 Hawaii US 9/29/2029
33 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN f. r. fosberg 46059 Hawaii US 3/20/1965
34 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry; nearly bare; cinder flats. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H. 18408 Hawaii BISH 12/19/1937
35 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Shigematsu, K. 413 Oahu BISH 8/3/1982
36 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN H. Mann & W. T. Brigham 340 F
37 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Forbes, C.N. 243.H Hawaii BISH 6/23/1911
38 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry ohia forest with mixed native trees and a native shrub and mixed grass understory. Growing on large chunk of aa, in small amount of soil. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Warshauer, F.R. FRW 2102 Hawaii BISH 8/1/1978
39 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry cinder fields. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H. 11229 Hawaii BISH 12/20/1931
40 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Arid ash. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN degener, o. collector number: 11342 Hawaii BISH 10/14/1929
41 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry koa-mamane community with an exotic grass and scattered native shrub understory. 2 small plants on large block of aa PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Warshauer, F.R. FRW 2040 Hawaii BISH 8/1/1978
42 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry nearle bare cinder flats. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN st.john, h. baldwin, p.; catto, r.j.; longley, p. collector number: 18408 Hawaii BISH 12/19/1937
43 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry ohia forest with mixed native trees and a native shrub and mixed grass understory. On large flat-topped aa boulders in sm pockets of detritus in cracks; several am browsed. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Warshauer, F.R. FRW 1848 Hawaii BISH 6/17/1978
44 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN st.john, h. collector number: 26902 Maui BISH 10/20/1977
45 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Locally common in open area of fumaroles, formerly Metrosideros forest. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Fosberg, F.R. 46059 Hawaii BISH 3/20/1965
46 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Euphorbia forest. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lamoureux, C.H. 4943 Hawaii BISH 1/6/1977
47 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Very common obviously reproducing itself on almost bare ground warmed and affected by fumes from the numerous steam vents. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Fosberg, F.R. 56737 Hawaii BISH 3/22/1977
48 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN jacobi, j.d. collector number: jdj 1212 Hawaii BISH 8/11/1978
49 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN hobdy, r.w. collector number: 1356 Oahu BISH 4/5/1982
50 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN jacobi, j.d. collector number: 1212 Hawaii BISH
51 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Several plants growing on rock outcropping near summit. Very dry conditions. Associated with Pennisetum setaceum, Dodonaea, Sida, Waltheria, Santalum ellipticum and Lipochaeta. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Davis, J. 617 Hawaii BISH 10/8/1981
52 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN fosberg, f.r. collector number: 56737 Oahu BISH 3/22/1977
53 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN davis, j. collector number: 617 Hawaii BISH 10/8/1981
54 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry ohia forest with mixed native trees and a native shrub and mixed grass understory. Ground rooted in sm soil pocket in lava, sun. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Jacobi, J.D. JDJ 1212 Hawaii BISH 8/11/1978
55 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry ohia forest with mixed native trees and a native shrub and mixed grass understory. Ground rooted in sm soil pocket in lava, sun. PreservedSpecimen Jacobi, J.D. Collector Number: JDJ 1212 BISH Specimen 8/11/1978
56 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN St. John, H. 18426 Hawaii BISH 1937-00-00
57 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Several plants growing on rock outcropping near summit. Very dry conditions. Associated with Pennisetum setaceum, Dodonaea, Sida, Waltheria, Santalum ellipticum and Lipochaeta. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Davis, J. Collector Number: 617 Hawaii BISH 10/8/1981
58 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information PRESERVED_SPECIMEN shigematsu, k. collector number: 413 Oahu BISH 8/3/1982
59 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry cinder fields. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN st.john, h. bean, r.s.; hosaka, e.y. collector number: 11229 Hawaii BISH 12/20/1931
60 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Growing on exposed ledges in thin soil. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Hobdy, R.W. 1356 Lanai BISH 4/5/1982
61 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry ohia forest with mixed native trees and a native shrub and mixed grass understory. Growing on large chunk of aa, in small amount of soil. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN warshauer, f.r. mceldowney, p.h. collector number: frw 2102 Hawaii BISH 1/1/1976
62 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry koa-mamane community with an exotic grass and scattered native shrub understory. 2 small plants on large block of aa PRESERVED_SPECIMEN warshauer, f.r. mceldowney, p.h. collector number: frw 2040 Hawaii BISH 8/1/1978
63 Portulaca sclerocarpa A.Gray Contact Bishop Museum Botany department for locality information Dry ohia forest with mixed native trees and a native shrub and mixed grass understory. On large flat-topped aa boulders in sm pockets of detritus in cracks; several am browsed. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN warshauer, f.r. mceldowney, p.h. collector number: frw 1848 Hawaii BISH 6/17/1978
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