Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs or small trees, new growth yellowish brown appressed puberulent, soon glabrate.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades elliptic to elliptic–obovate, 9.5–16 cm long, 4.5–7.5 cm wide. Apex rounded to subacute. Base cuneate. Upper surfaces glabrate; lower surfaces sparsely pilose, especially along veins; blades thin, coriaceous. Margins entire. Primary lateral veins 18–20 pairs, connected by an arched vein 1–2 mm from margin, venation pinnate, lateral veins connected by an arched submarginal vein, higher order venation forming a reticulate pattern. Petioles 10–12 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers 1–2 in glabrous, axillary cymes, peduncles 0–30 mm long, pedicels 20–35 mm long, bracteoles sparsely puberulent, bracts small, opposite. Floral details unknown. Calyx of 4 sepals; sepals white or white tinged pink or purple. Corolla of 4 petals; petals white or white tinged pink or purple. Stamens 8. Ovary superior, 4-celled and 4-lobed, carpels connate, only slightly distinct at apex to almost entirely distinct; ovules 2 per cell, hemitropous, 1 ascending; style 1, terminating in 4 short stigmatic branches.

Fruit: Capsules depressed–cuboid; 12–14 mm long; 19–22 mm wide; carpels completely connate; apex with a conspicuous central depression; exocarp very sparsely puberulent; endocarp glabrous; the carpels dehiscing along the upper suture; exocarp. Seeds 1–2 per cell; glossy black when ripe; crustaceous; ovoid; sometimes angled from compression; embryo straight in fleshy endosperm; radicle short; cotyledons compressed; ovate; putamen brown; warty.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Montane near Wahiawa bog

Elevation Range: 920 m.