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Dracaena hawaiiensis

(O.Deg. & I.Deg.) Magnacca (2025)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Asparagaceae Genus: Dracaena

hala pepe, le‘ie [leie]

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees 5–6 m tall.

Stems: Stems unbranched to many-branched, younger ones with conspicuous leaf scars.

Roots: Fibrous root system.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, spiral. Blades linear, gradually tapering in upper ⅓, 23–38 cm long, 1.4–2.7 cm wide. Base sessile. Blades subcoriaceous. Margins entire. Veins parallel. Sessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in panicles compact slightly glaucous, 19–28 cm long, the lower lateral branches 3–10 cm long, peduncles 6–13 cm long, abruptly recurved. Flowers bisexual (perfect); pedicels 5–12 mm long. Perianth pale yellow, 33–43 mm long, tube 24–34 mm long, constricted basal part ca. 4–6 mm long, lobes slightly spreading, 11–14 mm long. Stamens 6; anthers ca. 4–4.5 mm long. Ovary superior, 3-celled; ovules 1 per cell; style filiform; stigma capitate or slightly lobed.

Fruit: Berries red; ca. 10–13 mm long. Seeds 1(2); 6–7 mm long.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Apparently rare; primarily in dry forest; occasionally in mesic forest.

Elevation Range: 300–860 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Hawai'i Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 163: 237 (2025)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1354 (H [as Pleomele hawaiiensis]); Jankalski 2008:21 (COMBNOV, Syn. P. hawaiiensis = Dracaena konaensis); Lu & Morden 2014:101 (COMBNOV, P. hawaiiensis = Chrysodracon hawaiiensis); Takawira-Nyenya et al. 2018 (Syn. Chrysodracon = Dracaena); Thomas, Magnacca, et al. 2025:237 (COMBNOV, Syn. P. hawaiiensis = D. hawaiiensis)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa. On hwy 4 mi W of Kahuku Ranch Headquarters, and 1/2 mi E of King Kamehameha Ave. Kau district Small kipuka, with ulei, sandalwood, mamane, sisal, etc. Preserved_Specimen Tree. Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-03-11
2 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puuwaawaa; near transect T16 on the Puu Huluhulu escarpment On `a`a substrate; remnant dryland community with Pouteria sandwicensis, Diospyros sandwicensis, Myoporum sandwicense and numerous Grevillea. Preserved_Specimen Height 15', sporadic, most inds. bearing ripe red fruits. Takeuchi, W.N. 5730 Hawaii BISH 1989-12-26
3 Dracaena hawaiiensis N Kona, Puuwaawaa Dry `a`a lava fields. Preserved_Specimen Tree 5 m high. Webster, G.L. 1848 Hawaii BISH 1948-06-21
4 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kohala In dry forest. Preserved_Specimen Frs. golden-brown, later scarlet. Christensen, Mrs.C. 1 Hawaii BISH 1963-09-03
5 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa. On hwy 4 mi W of Kahuku Ranch Headquarters, and 1/2 mi E of King Kamehameha Ave. Kau district Small kipuka, with ulei, sandalwood, mamane, sisal, etc. Preserved_Specimen Tree. Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-03-11
6 Dracaena hawaiiensis 2 mi NE of Huehue Ranch House, Kaupulehu, N Kona District In scrub on aa lava. Preserved_Specimen Tree 8 m x 12 cm. Ripe drupes in color changing from wiliwili red to brown. St.John, H. 22454 Hawaii BISH 1946-12-28
7 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puuwaawaa; near transect T16 on the Puu Huluhulu escarpment On `a`a substrate; remnant dryland community with Pouteria sandwicensis, Diospyros sandwicensis, Myoporum sandwicense and numerous Grevillea. Preserved_Specimen Height 15', sporadic, most inds. bearing ripe red fruits. Takeuchi, W.N. 5730 Hawaii BISH 1989-12-26
8 Dracaena hawaiiensis Manuka Mauka On bare aa lava. Preserved_Specimen 20 ft tree. St.John, H. 11343 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-26
9 Dracaena hawaiiensis Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Fallen leaves; no fls; nor fruit. Degener, O. 34432 Hawaii BISH 1983-12-05
10 Dracaena hawaiiensis N Kona District, lands of Puuanahulu; on slopes of Puuanahulu Ridge near Puu Huluhulu On steep dry slopes. Preserved_Specimen Tree with smooth, light-colored bark, erect branches and golden-yellow flowers. Herbst, D.R. 5298 Hawaii BISH 1975-05-02
11 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kau Hwy 11, near Ocean View Estates in kipuka just makai of road, with Diospyros & sisal Aa substrate. Preserved_Specimen Tree 30 ft tall, nearly 2 ft dbh. (Not on sheet) Hawaii BISH 1974-07-25
12 Dracaena hawaiiensis Along belt Hwy 11. S Kona District In kipuka in aa flow. Preserved_Specimen 10 m tree. Jacobi, J.D. 107 Hawaii BISH 1972-12-09
13 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kona side of Puuwaawaa ranch tuen off, about 23.2 miles from Kamuela Of occasional occurrence on `a`a substrate growing with scattered Diospyros with a dense ground cover of Pennisetum setaceum (fountain grass), and lantana, haole-koa, Cocculus, Planchonella, ect. Preserved_Specimen Tree 20' tall, 5' spread, 10 basal diameter. Fair vigor. Fruit present only. Clarke, G. 674 Hawaii BISH 1982-03-16
14 Dracaena hawaiiensis Holei Pali, about 1 mi Kau of Naalu forest Recent kipuka with some closed canopy forest dominated by Canthium & Diospyros, also with Santalum, Bobea, Metrosideros. Preserved_Specimen Warshauer, F.R. Hawaii BISH 1972-06-02
15 Dracaena hawaiiensis Hualalai Ranch property along Mamalahoa Hwy, 30 yds behind fence. 0.15 mi S of sign that reads 28 mile Preserved_Specimen Tree 6 m, branched. Leaves tufted, green, semi-shiny. Bracts on inflorescence, scape green; flowers old, wilted, appearing light colored. Capsules immature, brownish-green. Teraoka, W. 12 Hawaii BISH 1979-04-20
16 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kapua S Kona Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10034 Hawaii BISH 1912-01-01
17 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa, Kau Preserved_Specimen Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-09-28
18 Dracaena hawaiiensis Within 100-300 m of the Makai side of Hwy 11, 1-2 mi W of Kahuku Ranch. Enter property at junction of old hwy with route 11 near 1887 flow Preserved_Specimen 10 - 20 ft tree. Bruner, P. Hawaii BISH 1987-04-12
19 Dracaena hawaiiensis S Kona, in ahupuaa's of Kapua, Kaulanamauna and Manuka Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 772 Hawaii BISH 1977-06-01
20 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puuwaawaa Ranch, ca. 1 mi above ranch quarters Preserved_Specimen Young and mature inflorescences strongly reflexed and rigidly bent down so that all the flowers are hanging. Flower yellow in a dense panicle. Individual flowers 2 long. Styles 2-3 fid at very tip. Anthers versatile. Gillett, G.W. 1744 Hawaii BISH 1965-04-21
21 Dracaena hawaiiensis Poliokeawe Pale, 1/2 mi E of former Ainahou Ranch E boundary On slope of pali. Preserved_Specimen Reeser, D.W. Hawaii BISH 1975-04-24
22 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kaupulehu, near mile marker 18 scattered occurences on aa clinker Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 3407 Hawaii BISH 1987-02-11
23 Dracaena hawaiiensis Huehue Preserved_Specimen Meebold, A. Hawaii BISH 1932-05-01
24 Dracaena hawaiiensis Hawaii Preserved_Specimen (Not on sheet) Hawaii BISH
25 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa, Kau Preserved_Specimen Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-09-28
26 Dracaena hawaiiensis Ocean View Estates Preserved_Specimen Hawaii BISH 1974-07-25
27 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kapua S Kona Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10034 Hawaii BISH 1912-01-01
28 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puuwaawaa, stone coral W of ranch houses Preserved_Specimen Kondo, Y. 44 Hawaii BISH 1946-07-21
29 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kapua S Kona Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10034 Hawaii BISH 1912-01-01
30 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kapua S Kona Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10034 Hawaii BISH 1912-01-01
31 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa. On hwy 4 mi W of Kahuku Ranch Headquarters, and 1/2 mi E of King Kamehameha Ave. Kau district Small kipuka, with ulei, sandalwood, mamane, sisal, etc. Preserved_Specimen Tree. Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-03-11
32 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa. On hwy 4 mi W of Kahuku Ranch Headquarters, and 1/2 mi E of King Kamehameha Ave. Kau district Small kipuka, with ulei, sandalwood, mamane, sisal, etc. Preserved_Specimen Tree. Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-03-11
33 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puu Kamaoa. On hwy 4 mi W of Kahuku Ranch Headquarters, and 1/2 mi E of King Kamehameha Ave. Kau district Small kipuka, with ulei, sandalwood, mamane, sisal, etc. Preserved_Specimen Tree. Meinecke, W.H. Hawaii BISH 1975-03-11
34 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kaupulehu, near mile marker 18 Scattered occurence on aa clinker, diverse dryland forest with Diospyros sandwicensis and Colubrina oppositifolia as the principle canopy components; fountain grass the dominant groundcover; fountain grass the dominant groundcover. Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 3407 Hawaii BISH 1987-02-11
35 Dracaena hawaiiensis North Kona, Kaupulehu State Park Dry forest on a`a. Preserved_Specimen 5 m tree. Petiole and peduncle light green, corolla tubular, light orange. Jacobi, J.D. 251 Hawaii BISH 1973-03-16
36 Dracaena hawaiiensis N Kona Distr., Puu Huluhulu at base With Erythrina & Reynoldsia. Preserved_Specimen Tree 8 m high; infl. pend; fls. yellow. Webster, G.L. 14044 Hawaii BISH 1968-07-02
37 Dracaena hawaiiensis Puuwaawaa; near transect T16 on the Puu Huluhulu escarpment On aa substrate; remnant dryland community with Pouteria sandwicensis, Diospyros sandwicensis, Myoporum sandwicense, and numerous Grevillea. Preserved_Specimen Height 15', sporadic, most inds. bearing ripe fruit. Takeuchi, W.N. 5730 Hawaii BISH 1989-12-26
38 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kapuna, S Kona Lava fields. Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10034 Hawaii BISH 1912-02-01
39 Dracaena hawaiiensis Kau Desert, great crack Growing in crack, with Sophora, Pipturus. Preserved_Specimen Hoijoe, H. 26 Hawaii BISH
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