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Calophyllum inophyllum

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Calophyllaceae Genus: Calophyllum

alexandrian laurel, kamani

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Glabrous trees 8–20 m tall with milky sap, bark deeply fissured.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite, decussate. Blades broadly elliptic to obovate–elliptic,11–20 cm long, 5.5–9 cm wide. Apex rounded or notched. Blades thick, chartaceous or somewhat coriaceous. Margins entire. Lateral veins numerous, closely spaced, and parallel, lateral veins arising at a 70º angle or more from midrib. petioles 1–3 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary, racemose or paniculate inflorescences, pedicels 2–6 cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx of 4 sepals, outer ones 4–6 mm long, inner ones reflexed and slightly longer, petaloid. Corolla of 4(–8) petals; petals, 8–14 mm long. Stamens numerous; filaments distinct, weakly 4–fasciculate. Ovary superior, reddish purple after pollination, globose, 1-celled; ovule 1, basal, erect; stigma peltate.

Fruit: Fruit greenish or yellow; globose; 2–3(–5) cm in diameter; pulp 3–5 mm thick. Seeds without an aril.

Ploidy: 2n = 32

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Brownish mauve dye (fruit husk)

  • The bark resin useful in treatment of ulcers (Rock 1913:311).

  • Wood used for calabashes or poi bowls (Abbott 1992:87–89; Krauss 1993:22; Little & Skolmen 1987:196); Flowers smell like orange blossoms, used to scent kapa (Abbott 1992:57). Whistles made from kernels, extracted oil from the kernel used for oiling or waterproofing kapa (Kamehameha Schools 1994:14). Sometimes false kamani (tropical-almond, Terminalia catappa L.) used as post-contact substitute for woodworking (Little & Skolmen 1989:206). In the Ethnology Collection at Bishop Museum there is a post-contact of the wood made into a bowl.

CULTURE

  • Ha‘iha‘i pua kamani pauku pua ki line in "Makalapua" (Elbert & Mahoe 1970).

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Only found in cultivation
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized
Nihoa Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 513 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:542 (K, O, Mo, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:237 (KEY, DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Calophyllum inophyllum Hauula The elephant grass covered the level lot bordering the beach Preserved_Specimen van Royen, P. Oahu BISH 1969-03-02
2 Calophyllum inophyllum Hilo dooryard Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 341 Hawaii BISH 1926-11-25
3 Calophyllum inophyllum Honolulu, University of Hawaii moist ground Preserved_Specimen Inafuku, R. Oahu BISH 1930-10-31
4 Calophyllum inophyllum Visitor Center and main ruins, Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park Predominantly exotic vegetation. Area highly modified by ancient Polynesians Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 10292 Hawaii BISH 1984-04-08
5 Calophyllum inophyllum Wailau Valley near coast Preserved_Specimen Wiebke, H. 3505 Molokai BISH 1928-08-04
6 Calophyllum inophyllum Honolulu, U.H moist Preserved_Specimen Inafuku, R. Oahu BISH 1930-10-31
7 Calophyllum inophyllum West Niu gulch guava zone, near stream Preserved_Specimen Egler, F.E. 37204 Oahu BISH 1937-07-20
8 Calophyllum inophyllum east Maui, Hana District, Waioni Gulch on plateau behing sea cliffs Preserved_Specimen Occasional groves, likely formerly cultivated. Trees to 5m tall, with yellow sap, many seedlings around edges of groves. Oppenheimer, H.L. 21316 Maui BISH 2013-02-27
9 Calophyllum inophyllum unknown Preserved_Specimen BISH
10 Calophyllum inophyllum Honolulu, King St., Bd. of Agric. & For Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 443 Oahu BISH 1927-01-17
11 Calophyllum inophyllum Fleming's orchard, above Maui Pineapple area 46. At entrance Preserved_Specimen Medium-sized tree, much branched, with dense, medium-green foliage. Flowers white. Milky sap Herbst, D.R. 2122 Maui BISH 1971-09-13
12 Calophyllum inophyllum Puna HUMAN_OBSERVATION Friday, J.B. Hawaii 11/22/2018
13 Calophyllum inophyllum Kalihi Valley Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 96 Oahu BISH 1920-01-01
14 Calophyllum inophyllum Hauula, in village not far from coast Preserved_Specimen very large trees Degener, O. 1566 Oahu BISH 1923-07-10
15 Calophyllum inophyllum East Maui, Hana District, Kalahu Point, National Tropical Botanical Garden; map #407 Preserved_Specimen tree 12m x 60 cm., crown full, spreading, bark brown, longitudinally fissured; leaves leathery, dark shiny green above, paler beneath, costa yellow; fruit globose, brownish-green, ripening blackish brown; young flower buds white, pedicels pink, Lorence, D.H. 7685 Maui BISH 1995-05-18
16 Calophyllum inophyllum near dock at Pukoo Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8672 Molokai BISH 1928-07-10
17 Calophyllum inophyllum Nihoa Sand beach Preserved_Specimen Seed Cooke Jr., C.M. Nihoa BISH 1923-06-14
18 Calophyllum inophyllum Hilo Nursery Arboretum, Hilo Preserved_Specimen Tree 40 ft., 16 in diam. , planted Little Jr., E.L. 31066 Hawaii BISH 1976-08-17
19 Calophyllum inophyllum UH Manoa, # 28 on map Preserved_Specimen tree with rough, gray bark; coriaceous, glossy green leaves; fragrant, white flowers; spherical, green fruit, ~1 diam. Herbst, D.R. 564 Oahu BISH 1967-09-02
20 Calophyllum inophyllum Kehena Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 11241 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-21
21 Calophyllum inophyllum Waikiki Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2542 Oahu BISH 1909-04-01
22 Calophyllum inophyllum Hilo Nursery Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Tree 40', 16 diam. Little Jr., E.L. 31066 Hawaii BISH 1976-08-17
23 Calophyllum inophyllum Halawa near shore Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 12681 Molokai BISH 1932-12-27
24 Calophyllum inophyllum Near dock at Pukoo, Molokai, T. Hawaii Preserved_Specimen A few trees only. Degener, O. 8672 Molokai BISH 1928-07-10
25 Calophyllum inophyllum Kamehameha V Grove, Halawa Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 501 Molokai BISH 1916-09-01
26 Calophyllum inophyllum unknown Preserved_Specimen BISH
27 Calophyllum inophyllum Wailau Valley, Molokai, T. Hawaii. Near shore Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8673 Molokai BISH 1928-08-04
28 Calophyllum inophyllum U.H., Manoa campus Preserved_Specimen Sohmer, S.H. 5976 Oahu BISH 1969-08-18
29 Calophyllum inophyllum Kamani Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 121 Oahu BISH 1864-01-01
30 Calophyllum inophyllum Koloa distr.: Lawai Valley, Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, New headquarters section, Preserved_Specimen Lorence, D.H. 5566 Kauai BISH 1987-09-22
31 Calophyllum inophyllum Lanai Preserved_Specimen Rémy, J. 564 Lanai BISH 1851-01-01
32 Calophyllum inophyllum Oahu Preserved_Specimen Earle, E. 36 Oahu BISH 1972-06-26
33 Calophyllum inophyllum Kahena Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 11241 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-21
34 Calophyllum inophyllum near Kapoho Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Hawaii BISH 1929-08-04
35 Calophyllum inophyllum Preserved_Specimen 4322 BISH
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