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Bobea timonioides

(Hook.f.) Hillebr. (1888)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Bobea

‘ahakea [ahakea]

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees up to 10 m tall.

Stems: Young branches ca. 2.5 mm in diameter toward apex, appressed puberulent to sericeous.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades ovate to lanceolate or elliptic, 4–10(–13) cm long, 2–6.5 cm wide. Apex acute to acuminate. Base acute to obtuse or rounded. Upper surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent on midrib; lower surfaces sparsely appressed pubescent on midrib and nerves, domatia plane to somewhat elevated and with porate to slit-like openings in axils of secondary nerves; blades chartaceous to subcoriaceous. Margins entire. Secondary veins 4–7 on each side of midrib, often reddish pellucid. Petioles 5–25 mm long, pubescent. Stipules deltate to lanceolate, valvate in bud, 1.5–4 mm long, ca.2.5 mm wide, acute, upper surface villous, lower surface appressed pubescent.

Flowers: Flowers staminate and perfect 3–7 in cymes, peduncles 12–20 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; pistillate flowers solitary, peduncles up to 15 mm long. bracts and bracteoles inconspicuous. Flowers insect-pollinated, bisexual (perfect) or functionally unisexual, 4(5)-merous, often heterostylous. Calyx limb persistent in fruit. Staminate and perfect flowers: calyx limb cupular, dentate, up to 1.5 mm long, appressed pubescent externally, the teeth deltate, often unequal, up to 1 mm long; Pistillate flowers: calyx limb as in staminate flowers. Corolla greenish to yellowish or sometimes white. Staminate and perfect flowers: corolla salverform, the tube 6–11 mm long, ca. 1.2 mm wide, appressed pubescent externally, subglabrous within, the lobes ovate, ca. 3 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, obtuse; Pistillate flowers: corolla salverform, the tube 5.5–10 mm long, ca. 0.8 mm wide. Nectary disk usually present. Staminate and perfect flowers: stamens inserted below corolla throat; anthers sessile, ca. 3.5 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide; Pistillate flowers: staminodia subsessile, ca. 2.2 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior, occasionally partly so, or very rarely superior. Staminate and perfect flowers: ovary usually abortive, up to 2 mm long, 2(–4)–celled; style subterete, 2–5.5 mm long, densely appressed strigillose; stigmas 2–4, equal or unequal, 1–3 mm long; Pistillate flowers ovary ca. 3 mm long, 5–7–celled; style 5–8.5 mm long, densely appressed strigillose; stigmas 5–6, linear, 1–2 mm long, exserted, lobed or capitate, dry or occasionally wet.

Fruit: Fruit drupaceous; purplish to black; ovoid to subglobose; 7–10 mm in diameter; sparsely pubescent; pyrenes (2–)4–7 thick–walled; 1–seeded. Seeds without endosperm.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Dry to occasionally mesic forests.

Elevation Range: 250–580 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Bobea timonioides bears oval fruit about 1/2 inch long containing 2 to 7 seeds. Lilleeng-Rosenberger suggests ripening the fruit in a plastic bag to soften the pulp. After this, the seeds can be removed from the pulp more easily. Separate the seeds from the fruit by soaking them in cold water for 24 hours. Discard the pulp and wash the seeds in a strainer. Fresh seeds germinate best, but germination time varies from one to six months.
  • For the related species, Bobea sandwicensis, repondents to the Stratton et al survey suggest planting the seeds 1/8 inch deep in a medium composed of either 3 parts perlite #2 to 1 part Sunshine Mix #4 or 4 parts cinder to 1 part soil. Keep the medium moist and in a shaded area until the seeds germinate.
  • For storage, seeds of Bobea sandwicensis should be separated from the pulp and air-dried. The seeds should then be kept in an envelope or paper bag cool, dry (25% relative humidity) place. (Lilleeng-Rosenberger 1998; NTBG 1998; Stratton 1998; Wagner 1990) [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

Kaua'i Endemic
O'ahu Extirpated
Maui Endemic
Hawai'i Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Fl. Hawaiian Isl.: 174 (1888)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1118 (K, O, EM, H); Lorence et al. 1995:49 (K); Matt Keir pers. comm. 2025/Kawelo USARMY 001 BISH (O†, 2004); Matt Keir pers. comm. 2025/Medeiros 553a BISH (M†, 1983)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing in goat-infested, weedy mesic forest whose canopy is thinning out. Associates: Lantana, Diospyros, Planchonella, Dodonaea, Canthium, Santalum. Preserved_Specimen A tree 8 m tall with a full, irregular crown. Bark rough, like that of B. sanwicensis. Lau, J. 2203 Kauai BISH 1986-03-28
2 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry aa flow, wooded kipuka. Preserved_Specimen Tree 25 ft high. St.John, H. 11337 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-26
3 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Diverse mesic forest. Canopy with Metrosideros polymorpha, Pouteria sandwicensis, Psydrax, Psychotria mariniana, Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. dipetalum, Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Pteralyxia kauaiensis, Kadua affinis, Pleomele Preserved_Specimen Tree 18 ft, tall. Calyx beaked, no flw. Lvs light green. Tangalin, N. 2387 Kauai BISH 2010-08-23
4 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wooded kipuka, `a`a flow. Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 11345 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-26
5 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Old `a`a lava flow. Preserved_Specimen Tree branches ascending still. Flower, yellowish green odorless. Fruit in cymes 3-7 purple 2 seeds. 8 dbh. Bark, light brown flaky. Russ, G.W. 1 Hawaii BISH 1928-03-05
6 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Frequent in forest. Preserved_Specimen Tree: 20' tall. Flowers: light green. Fagerlund, G.O. 806 Hawaii BISH 1943-08-17
7 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry, hot, open `a`a lava flow. Preserved_Specimen Tree ascending branches, height 32', 8 dbh. Flower, green-yellow, odorless. Fruit, purple berry. Bark, brown flaky-scaly, brittle. Russ, G.W. 3 Hawaii BISH 1928-03-03
8 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Arid `a`a lava region. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11615 Hawaii BISH 1929-09-13
9 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry `a`a flow, wooded kipuka. Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 11337 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-26
10 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In Diospyros sandwicensis lowland mesic forest with Bobea timonioides, Caesalpinia kavaiensis, Flueggea, Tetraplasandra, Melia, Lantana, Aleurites. Preserved_Specimen Several trees, 20 ft ht,. with flowers and fruit. Perlman, S. 7016 Kauai BISH 1987-11-27
11 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details N facing slopes; Erythrina, Aleurites, Melia azedarach, Rauvolfia, Lantana, Metrosideros, Claoxylon, Elaeocarpus bifidus, Syzygium sandwicense, Pouteria, Hyptis, Abutilon grandifolium Preserved_Specimen 30' tree; flower; fruit Perlman, S. 19413 Kauai BISH 2004-12-09
12 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Arid lava region nearer sea than 11604 Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11606 Hawaii BISH 1929-09-09
13 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Forest on`a`a lava flow. Preserved_Specimen Tree: 30' high. Fruit dark blue at maturity. Fagerlund, G.O. 807 Hawaii BISH 1943-08-17
14 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Uncommon tree, at top of steep pali. Preserved_Specimen Tree; fls. white, with 4-toothed calyx (tomentose); cyme 3-fld. Stone, B.C. 3019 Hawaii BISH 1959-07-09
15 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On old aa flow with remnant Diospyros-Canthium stand and abundant Schinus and Lantana scrub. Preserved_Specimen Tree 20 feet in height. Nagata, K.M. 2778 Hawaii BISH 1984-01-08
16 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Diverse mixed forest. Few trees in area. Growing with Pleomele, Alyxia, Lipochaeta subcordata, Dodonaea, Boehmeria, Perrottetia, Diospyros sandwicensis, Myrsine lanaiensis, Sida fallax, Psychotria, Metrosideros, Nestegis, Cryptocarya mannii. Streblus, Hibiscus waimeae. Preserved_Specimen Tree about 15 ft tall. Lvs dk green w/sparse hairs and yellow splothces above, abaxial blade w/more hairs, dull green w/yellow splotches and raised mid-rib & veins. Outer corolla tube white w/purple tint and green corolla lobes. Peduncle w/hairs. Calyx green w/some red toward apex tubular w/2 lobes. Frt da. Tangalin, N. 1913 Kauai BISH 2009-02-01
17 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details near forests Preserved_Specimen Small tree; fl. dirty-yellow Nelson, D. Hawaii BISH 1779-01-01
18 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11627 Hawaii BISH 1930-05-07
19 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Hawaii BISH
20 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 728 Kauai BISH 1916-11-01
21 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Diospyros-Acacia-Metrosideros montane mesic forest. w/ Diospyros sandwicensis, D. hillebrandii, Alphitonia ponderosa, Pisonia sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Pleomele aurea, Psychotria mariniana, Kadua affinis, Coprosma waimeae, C. foliosa, Myrsine lan Preserved_Specimen tree, 5.75 m tall, trunk gray- brown, rough textured with flaking bark, in early flower, mapped. Wood, K.R. 15867 Kauai BISH 2014-03-04
22 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1928-09-01
23 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1928-09-01
24 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1933-05-25
25 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1928-09-01
26 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1933-05-29
27 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1929-11-01
28 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1930-05-01
29 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1930-05-01
30 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1939-11-01
31 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hawaii BISH
32 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1928-09-01
33 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1933-05-29
34 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1930-05-01
35 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1933-05-29
36 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1928-01-01
37 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Hawaii BISH
38 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Diospyros-Acacia-Metrosideros montane mesic forest. w/ Diospyros sandwicensis, D. hillebrandii, Alphitonia ponderosa, Pisonia sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Pleomele aurea, Psychotria mariniana, Kadua affinis, Coprosma waimeae, C. foliosa, Myrsine lan Preserved_Specimen tree, 10 m tall, below nearby individual, vegetative, trunk 35 cm diameter at base, mapped Wood, K.R. 15865 Kauai BISH 2014-03-04
39 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Tree covered dry `a`a lava kipuka. Preserved_Specimen Fruit purplish-black, pulpy sweet. Degener, O. 11604 Hawaii BISH 1929-09-07
40 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Transition lehua forest, with Rauvolfia, Myoporum, Alphitonia. Preserved_Specimen Stone, B.C. 3019 Hawaii BISH 1959-07-09
41 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Tree growing in dryish forest on aa, no undergrowth. Preserved_Specimen Tree height 6.5 m; flower greenish; fruit purple. Gagné, W.C. 596 Hawaii BISH 1971-01-15
42 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Lightly wooded slope. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 12641 Kauai BISH 1940-01-05
43 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry `a`a lava flow. Preserved_Specimen Tree 18' height, 4 dbh. Bark, flaky scaly. Flower greenish-yellow odorless. Fruit, purple singly Pyrenal 4-6 globular. Russ, G.W. 2 Hawaii BISH 1928-03-05
44 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Arid lava region (nearer sea than No. 11,604). Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11606 Hawaii BISH 1929-09-09
45 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry region. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11627 Hawaii BISH 1930-05-07
46 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details `A`a lava flow. Preserved_Specimen Petals: 4 leaf stems reddish, also midrib. Fagerlund, G.O. 732 Hawaii BISH 1943-08-06
47 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Arid `a`a lava region. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11615 Hawaii BISH 1929-09-13
48 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry to mesic relic Diospyros forest along stream, mostly dominated by non-native taxa including Melia azedarach, Aleurites, Lantana camara, Triumfetta semitriloba, Melinis spp., Salvia coccinea, with occasional native dry forest trees of Flueggea, Bobea timonloides, Rauvolfia, Nesoluma, Metrosideros, Erythrina.; goats, weeds, land slides. Preserved_Specimen Tree 7 m tall, 30 cm dia. at base, trunk knobby brown with white-green lichen, lvs translucent green with yellow-green costa, corolla green-yellow, in fl and early frt, ca 12 trees in general region. Wood, K.R. 11757 Kauai BISH 2006-01-23
49 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Single tree growing in mesic forest with closed canopy of Pouteria sandwicensis, Pleomele halapepe, Psydrax odorata, Diospyros sandwicensis, Psidium cattleianum, Ardisia elliptica, Ficus, and adjacent to population of Eugenia koolauensis (KTA-A). Soil substrate. Northeast aspect on moderate slope. Area very weedy, with pig signs and motocross trail above tree, 50 m away. Preserved_Specimen Mature healthy tree 5 m tall, with immature and mature fruit. Kawelo, K. 1 Oahu BISH 2004-09-13
50 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Degraded Diverse Mesic Forest Diospyros sandwicensis, Sideroxylon, Pouteria, Metrosideros, Psychotria, Kadua, Bobea, Myrsine, Nestegis, Rauvolfia, Pleomele, Melia, undertory of Dryopteris decora, Adiantum hispedulum, Lantana, Hy Preserved_Specimen Tree 12 ft. tall. Small trunk, tall w/ twisted branches. Immature fruit 40% of leaves missing. Calyx pubescent, calyx lobes upright Tangalin, N. 2933 Kauai BISH 2011-12-22
51 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Arid lava region (nearer sea than No. 11,604). Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11605 Hawaii BISH 1929-09-09
52 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details mixed mesic forest, summer dry, steep slopes and cliff habitat Diospyros sandwicensis, Acacia koaia, Planchonella sandwicensis, Santalum pyrularium, Dracaena aurea, Myrsine lanaiensis, Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Psydrax odorata, Hibiscus waimeae, Flueggea neowawraea Preserved_Specimen tree, 10 m tall, portions of dieback, around 5 trees observed on forested slopes with Flueggea and Polyscias racemosa Wood, K.R. 15350 Kauai BISH 2013-01-23
53 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Mixed mesic forest, summer dry, steep north facing slopes and cliff habitat w/ Diospyros sandwicensis, Acacia koaia, Planchonella sandwicensis, Santalum pyrularium, Chrysodracon aurea, Myrsine lanaiensis, Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Psydrax odorata, Hibiscus waimeae, Flueggea neo Preserved_Specimen Tree, 8 m tall, very healthy, with flower and young fruit, mapped, second tree very close by. Wood, K.R. 16721 Kauai BISH 2016-01-14
54 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details N facing native xeric cliffs above native-alien xeric forest; Associated Plants: Artemisia, Nototrichium, Chamaesyce, Wilkesia, Lobelia, Peucedanum, Bidens, Hibiscadelphus, Bobea, Flueggea, Erythrina, Diospyros, Myrsine, Euphorbia, Gahnia. Preserved_Specimen 7 m tall tree; in flower and fruit; mature fruit purple. Wood, K.R. 1957 Kauai BISH 1992-06-06
55 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Osteomeles-Chamaesyce lowland mesic forest and cliff w/ riparian communities. Associated species: Carex spp., Dianella, Canthium, Eragrostis, Diospyros, Dodonaea, Alyxia. Preserved_Specimen 2 m tall, many branched tree; trunk white-grey; leaves med-green; petiole and main nerve red. Wood, K.R. 4865 Hawaii BISH 1995-12-14
56 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Degraded forest of Metrosideros, Pandanus, Cordyline, Psidium, Bidens, Blechnum, and Stachytarpheta. Preserved_Specimen Tree of 18 ft on open slope; leaves glossy medium green above with greenish-white midvein (lower 1/4 tinged red), below glossy pale green with midvein faintly pink in lower 1/2, whitish-green above; petiole red tinged. Flynn, T.W. 4901 Kauai BISH 1992-02-27
57 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Occuring on ledge on the west side of the mouth of Kailikaula Stream. Growing with Schinus terebinthifolius, Metrosideros polymorpha, Aleurites moluccana, Pennisetum setaceum, Lantana camara, Pluchea carolinensis, Psydrax odorata, Dianella sandwicensi. Preserved_Specimen Tree ca. 5 meters tall. With flowers. Fruit not observed. Leaves with red veination. VanDeMark, J. 51 Hawaii BISH 2022-06-09
58 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details mixed mesic forest, summer dry, steep slopes and cliff habitat Diospyros sandwicensis, Acacia koaia, Planchonella sandwicensis, Santalum pyrularium, Dracaena aurea, Myrsine lanaiensis, Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Psydrax odorata, Hibiscus waimeae, Flueggea neowawraea Preserved_Specimen tree, 9 m tall, in early flower, one of 5 trees observed on north facing slopes Wood, K.R. 15352 Kauai BISH 2013-01-23
59 Bobea timonioides Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry `a`a flow, wooded kipuka. Preserved_Specimen Tree 25 ft high. St.John, H. 11337 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-26
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