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Heterotis rotundifolia

(Sm.) Jacq.-Fél. (1981)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Myrtales Family: Melastomataceae Genus: Heterotis

dissotis

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Decumbent herbs.

Stems: Stems rooting at the nodes, up to 20 cm or more long, moderately hirtellous to pilose.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite, decussate. Blades ovate to ovate–lanceolate or suborbicular, 1.5–7 cm long, 0.8–4 cm wide. Apex acute. Base truncate to short-attenuate. Surfaces sparsely to densely pilose. Margins ciliate and somewhat crenulate. 3-veined. Petioles 0.5–2.5 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in mostly solitary or 2, terminal, pedicels ca. 2 mm long in fruit. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Hypanthium terete (cylindrical), 5–7 mm long in flower, densely covered with green, spreading, hair-like, linear–oblong appendages 2–4 mm long, apex stellate and sparsely to moderately bristly along their length; fruiting hypanthium cylindrical-campanulate, ca. 1 cm long, ca. 0.9 cm wide. Calyx lobes lanceolate in fruit, persistent, 5–6.5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide at base, bristly at apex and externally. Corolla of 5 petals, obovate, ca. 20 mm long, ca. 15 mm wide. Stamens 10, markedly dimorphic; anthers linear, with ventrally inclined pores, connective of larger anthers prolonged ventrally at base of anther and modified into a 2-lobed appendage at junction with filament, connective of smaller anthers barely developed ventrally; anthers of larger Stamens pink or lavender, 7–8 mm long, connective prolonged 3–4 mm and modified basally into a deeply 2-lobed spur 1.5–2 mm long; anthers of smaller Stamens yellow, 5.5–7 mm long, connective prolonged 0.5 mm or less with a 2-lobed spur usually 0.5 mm long. Ovary inferior, distinct along the distal ½ but adnate at base to inner hypanthial wall by 8–10 septa, 5-celled, apex bristly, placentation axile; ovules numerous; style simple and terminated by a punctiform to capitate stigma.

Fruit: Capsules coriaceous; enclosed by the hypanthium at maturity. Seeds numerous; cochleate; ca. 1 mm long; prominently ribbed dorsally with a deep pit on each side; endosperm absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 30

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Adansonia, sér. 2, 20(4): 417 (1981)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:907 (O, M, H [as Dissotis rotundifolia]); Herbarium Pacificum Staff 1996:5 (K); Staples & Herbst 2005:394 (KEY), 395 (DESCR); Almeda 2009:233 (Syn. D. rotundifolia = H. rotundifolia)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Heterotis rotundifolia Wailua, Wailua Homesteads, on Opaekaa Rd, just past Olu Lane on E side of street in an empty lot and along roadside W/ Citharexylum, Triumfetta semitriloba, Hyptis, Psidium cattleianum, Ficus lyrata, Spahtodea campanulata, Stachytarpheta Preserved_Specimen Sprawling on ground and vining on old frence. Leaves light green below. Petioles pink-red. Stems light green w. red tint, old stems brown. Fruits light green w/ red tipped bristles Tangalin, N. 1284 Kauai BISH 2007-05-28
2 Heterotis rotundifolia Puhi Camp, W of Kauai Community College From yard of abandoned homesite. Preserved_Specimen Stem pale green, reddish above. Petiole wine red. Blade above green w/ purplish edge, main vein red, below much paler green, main vein red. Calyx yellowish-green with red stellate hairs. Petals 4 or 5, dark purple w/ darker veining. Basal filament & connective yellow; upper filament pink, anthers dk purple. Staminodes yellow throughout. Pistil pale green at base to rose purple above, becoming green at tip. Flynn, T.W. 1644 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
3 Heterotis rotundifolia Kaneohe; Luluku Sunny roadside, growing over hillside close to stream in direct sun, with grass covering entire slope. Common in assoc. with grasses, but this plant dominates at edge of the road. Preserved_Specimen Less than 1 ft. tall; flowers pink; fruit immature. McConnell, K. Oahu BISH 1991-12-04
4 Heterotis rotundifolia Waialua District, Kauwalu Gulch. Preserved_Specimen Spreading, possibly from discarded yard waste but not observed to be under cultivation nearby. Oppenheimer, H.L. 70919 Oahu BISH 2009-07-22
5 Heterotis rotundifolia Honolulu: Manoa Valley; H. L. Lyon Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Permanent ground cover, herbaceous 3-18 in ht, flowers purple, petals early deciduous. Nagata, K.M. 399 Oahu BISH 1968-06-05
6 Heterotis rotundifolia Puna; 1 km W on Pakaka Road Preserved_Specimen perennial herb Annable, C.R. 3756 Hawaii BISH 1998-01-18
7 Heterotis rotundifolia 2357B Palolo Ave Preserved_Specimen Suenaga, B. Oahu BISH 1985-07-01
8 Heterotis rotundifolia Nuuanu area, 2616 Pali Hwy Growing in dappled shade. Preserved_Specimen Weak-stemmed herb sprawling through & supported by other vegetation. Petals rose pink, flowers odorless (mourning). Lau, J. 1621 Oahu BISH 1985-11-16
9 Heterotis rotundifolia Foster Gardens Preserved_Specimen Creeping plant, flowers 1.5 in diam, 5 purple petals, 5 bright yellow anthers & 5 light purple anthers. Potter, C. Oahu BISH 1960-01-18
10 Heterotis rotundifolia Foster Gardens Preserved_Specimen Flowers phlox pruple (Ridgway), w/ 5 long blue anters, 5 s ones. Potter, C. Oahu BISH 1958-08-25
11 Heterotis rotundifolia Kawaihau Dist. Near beginning of proposed Wailua Cart Trail Preserved_Specimen Decumbent herb excaping from adjacent yards; leaves dark green, semi-glossy above, dull grey-green below; petioles reddish; petals dark pink. Flynn, T.W. 4885 Kauai BISH 1992-01-28
12 Heterotis rotundifolia Hilo; Near Hilo Bay In yard of abandoned house. Preserved_Specimen Prostrate herb w/ pink flowers. Herbst, D.R. 5511 Hawaii BISH 1975-10-20
13 Heterotis rotundifolia 2922 Oahu Ave, Manoa Valley Growing at base of hedge in yard. Shady wet location under roof line. Preserved_Specimen Fujikawa, K. Oahu BISH 1989-02-22
14 Heterotis rotundifolia Kona District, Manoa Lyon Arboretum: Intersection of the main Jeep trail and the Seismograph station near trail near trail marker 5A. Preserved_Specimen Scandent herbs on Monstera plantings, leaves small, 1.5-2.5 cm w/ reddish veins; stem square, red, very pubescent; flowers showy with lavendar petals and yellow pistils. Dunn, L. 560 Oahu BISH 2014-01-24
15 Heterotis rotundifolia Kawaihau District. Wailua Homesteads top of Olohena, Moalepe Trail, in fallow pasture. Fallow Cow pasture W/ Non-native grasses, Mangifera indica, Psidium cattleianum, Nephrolepis, Chrysophyllum oliviforme, Lantana, weedy Euphorbia. Preserved_Specimen Vining on the ground, rooting at nodes, leaves light yellow-green (some with red above), stems red w/ hairs. Petals drying a light bleached purple. Tangalin, N. 5144 Kauai BISH 2021-03-23
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