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Tecoma stans

(L.) Juss. ex Kunth (1819)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Lamiales Family: Bignoniaceae Genus: Tecoma

yellow elder, yellow tecoma

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs or small trees 2–10 m tall.

Stems: Branches lepidote to puberulent.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Opposite. The first pair of leaves on a new branch often simple. leaflets ovate–lanceolate to elliptic or linear–lanceolate, 2.4–15 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, progressively larger distally; leaves with (3–)5–7(–9) leaflets. Upper surfaces glabrous; lower surfaces with scattered hairs towards the midrib. Leaflet margins serrate. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in terminal or subterminal racemes. Flowers bisexual (perfect), usually large and showy. Calyx elongate, cup-like, 0.3–7 cm long, evenly 5-toothed, the teeth ca. 1 mm long. Corolla zygomorphic, 5-lobed, yellow with 7 reddish lines in the throat and 2 faint red lines on top of the throat ridges, 3.5–6 cm long, 1.2–2.4 cm wide at the mouth, glabrous externally, pubescent within with glandular hairs at the point of filament insertion and with a few twisted hairs in the sinus and on the throat ridges. Stamens 4, with an additional staminode, occasionally only 2 Stamens fertile with 3 staminodes; filaments attached to corolla tube, alternate with the lobes; anthers usually dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate, with as many cells, sometimes 1-celled or 4-celled, placentation axile or in 1-celled ovary with 2 or 4 intruded parietal placentas; ovules anatropous or hemitropous, often erect; ovules in 2 series per cell; style 1; stigma 2-lobed.

Fruit: Fruit a smooth linear capsules; somewhat compressed parallel to the septum; but dehiscing at right angles to it; capsules linear; nearly rounded when fresh; tapering at both ends; 7–21 cm long; 0.5–0.7 cm in diameter. Seeds 0.3–0.5 cm long; 2.4–2.7 cm wide; winged; the wings hyaline–membranous; sharply demarcated from the seed body; endosperm absent; rarely present and oily.

Ploidy: 2n = 36; 40

Habitat: Sparingly naturalized in dry to mesic areas.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Not in flora

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Wind

Pollinators

Specimens

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Bibliography

Name Published In: F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 3: 144 (1818 publ. 1819)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:389 (O, M, H? [reportedly nat. at Ocean View Estates]); Staples & Herbst 2005:189 (KEY), 190 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Tecoma stans Honolulu, Slopes of Punchbowl, Cultivated & becoming naturalized along Prospect Street near Alapai Preserved_Specimen Small tree 3-7 meters in height. Flowers slightly fragrant. Corolla tube 3-5 cm. long, with red streaks at throat. Nagata, K.M. 3117 Oahu BISH 1984-12-20
2 Tecoma stans Growing at Kumuokalani, Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 1976 Kauai BISH 1971-07-07
3 Tecoma stans unknown Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2557 BISH
4 Tecoma stans Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Lidgate, J. Oahu BISH
5 Tecoma stans Upper Makakilo, adjacent to developed subdivision at end of Pueonani Street Dry, open Panicum maximum grassland with scattered Prosopis pallida, Leucaena leucocephala, scattered Santalum ellipticum and Dodonaea viscosa. Preserved_Specimen Naturalized woody shrubs to small trees, currently in full flower. Flowers yellow, tubular. Locally common. Imada, C. 200411 Oahu BISH 2004-02-10
6 Tecoma stans unknown Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. BISH
7 Tecoma stans N slopes of Puu K along dirt road. Waianae range Associated w/Erythrina, Panicum, Leucaena & 1 Gardenia brighamii. Preserved_Specimen Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1987-01-27
8 Tecoma stans Koloa district; Kalaheo, off Waha rd, Nanakai road to Nanakai place growing with pink and white hibiscus Preserved_Specimen Yellow flowers, vining up tree, beans hanging down. Tangalin, N. 1609 Kauai BISH 2007-10-11
9 Tecoma stans Waianae Mountains, Lualualei, Halona Valley (south branch). UTM 592189, 2369336. Dry, Non-native dominated forest. In understory of Araucaria columnaris grove, growing with Urochloa maxima. Preserved_Specimen ~3 m tall shrub. About 50% of leaves simple, 50% trifoliate. Flowers not present. Lau, A. 2014081901 Oahu BISH 2014-08-19
10 Tecoma stans West Maui, Waikapu, South side of Pahakea Gulch. Disturbed dry lowland Preserved_Specimen Yellow flowers and seed pods. Welton, P. 1721 Maui BISH 1993-05-29
11 Tecoma stans Wahiawa Botanic Garden Crowded by other trees; densely shaded. Preserved_Specimen A tree 11 m. tall, Flowers odorless (morning). Lau, J. 2215 Oahu BISH 1986-04-07
12 Tecoma stans Outer western slope of Punchbowl Crater Widely scattered and naturalized on steep rocky slope with good soil layer, growing in Leucaena scrubland with Panicum maximum, Bryophyllum, Coccinia, Pennisetum setaceum, Opuntia, scattered Ficus microcarpa. Preserved_Specimen Tree 10 ft. tall. Flowers tubular, 1.5-2 in. long, bright yellow with fine red stripes in tube. Imada, C. 992 Oahu BISH 1999-01-30
13 Tecoma stans Koloa District. Poipu. Koloa Landing at the mouth of Waikomo Stream Preserved_Specimen Treelet of four ft. Leaflets dull green above, paler below with yellowish-white midrib and petiolule. With Leucaena and Waltheria. Flynn, T.W. 3135 Kauai BISH 1988-09-12
14 Tecoma stans Honolulu, University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. 52 Oahu BISH 1929-09-13
15 Tecoma stans Honolulu, Manoa Valley, above Puuhonua St., side of Round Top, near trail Preserved_Specimen Locally established, not spreading locally (actively). Egler, F.E. 37169 Oahu BISH 1937-05-16
16 Tecoma stans Lyon Arboretum, Lower Lawn Preserved_Specimen 2 inch dbh. Height 7 ft., flowers yellow. Nagata, K.M. 256 Oahu BISH 1967-07-11
17 Tecoma stans Honolulu, 2710 Ferdinand Street Preserved_Specimen Plant c 4 m. high. Flower yellow; fruit linear, brown capsule. Bryan Jr., E.H. 770 Oahu BISH 1934-01-17
18 Tecoma stans Honolulu, Foster Gardens Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow plus pods. Potter, C. Oahu BISH 1958-09-16
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