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Cressa truxillensis

Kunth (1819)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Genus: Cressa

cressa, makihi

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Subshrubs or suffrutescent herbs.

Stems: Stems erect or decumbent, usually 5–35 cm long, hirsute to sericeous.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades elliptic to lanceolate or ovate–lanceolate, 3–10 mm long, 1–4 mm wide. Apex usually acute. Base acute to obtuse. Surfaces hirsute to sericeous; blades often fleshy. Margins entire. Petioles 0.5–2 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers solitary and axillary, usually at the tips of the branches, pedicels 1–3 mm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic, 5-merous. Calyx of 5 sepals, distinct, imbricate, herbaceous, elliptic, subequal, inner ones sometimes obovate, 3–4.5 mm long, 2.5–3 mm wide, pubescent, margins scarious, apex obtuse or acute, persistent, occasionally accrescent. Corolla of 5 fused petals; petals white, 5–6.5 mm long, salverform, the tube 3–3.5 mm long, hidden within the calyx, the lobes obtuse to subacute, imbricate, 2.4–3 mm long, with tufts of hairs near apex. Stamens 5, distinct, exserted, equal, 4–6 mm long; filaments equal, joined at the glandular pubescent base, inserted on corolla tube base alternate with corolla lobes; anthers dithecal, oblong, extrorse. Ovary superior, ovoid, 1-celled to nearly 2-celled; ovules 4, these erect, anatropous, placentation basal or basal-axile, apex pubescent; styles 2, distinct or nearly so,unequal, 3.5–5 mm long; stigmas 2, capitate.

Fruit: Capsules tan to brown; 5–6 mm long; 4-valved; often ovoid; apically pubescent; dehiscent by valves; transversely; or irregularly; or indehiscent and berry-like or nut-like [exclude?]. Seeds usually 1; dark brown or black; ovoid; 3–3.5 mm long; glabrous; endosperm absent or scanty; cartilaginous; cotyledons usually foliaceous.

Ploidy: 2n = 28

Habitat: Occurring on drying mudflats and sand along and behind beaches.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Indigenous

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Indigenous
Kaua'i Unknown
O'ahu Indigenous
Molokai Indigenous
Kaho'olawe Indigenous

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 93 (1819)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:552 (O, Mo, Ka); Wichman & St. John 1990:121 (Ni); Degener 5996 BISH (O†, 1932)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cressa truxillensis W end sea coast Preserved_Specimen herb, 5-8 high Wilder, G.P. 91 Molokai BISH 1924-09-21
2 Cressa truxillensis W end, Kawakiu sand and soil, upper end of beach Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2361 Molokai BISH 1985-04-19
3 Cressa truxillensis SW of Kaukaukapapa Beach and N of Kealaikahiki Point Sandy Preserved_Specimen Low, upright. Tiny flowers white. Foliage bluish green Cuddihy, L.W. 378 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-22
4 Cressa truxillensis Kealaikahiki Point Sand, rocks, above high wave mark Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 1748 Kahoolawe BISH 1983-04-13
5 Cressa truxillensis Laau Point soil and sand, back and edge of beach Preserved_Specimen silvery-gray foliage Herbst, D.R. 2974 Molokai BISH 1973-04-06
6 Cressa truxillensis West Molokai, Kepuhi near shore, dried clay bottomed streambed Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 3365 Molokai BISH 1928-04-28
7 Cressa truxillensis SW of Kaukaukapapa Beach and N of Kealaikahiki Point Sandy Preserved_Specimen Low, upright. Tiny flowers white. Foliage bluish green Cuddihy, L.W. 378 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-22
8 Cressa truxillensis Kaluakoi, N side of Kepuhi Bay in front of Resort golf course native strand, with Sporobolus virginicus, in coral sand between lava rocks Preserved_Specimen deep-rooted herb, stems at first erect, later decumbent, foliage grayish-green, dry flower buds brownish. Lorence, D.H. 6686 Molokai BISH 1991-01-19
9 Cressa truxillensis Puuloa landfill, drying mud Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 5996 Oahu BISH 1932-07-28
10 Cressa truxillensis Kaluakoi, Kamakaipo along and back of beach Preserved_Specimen prostrate, rhizomatous herb; foliage gray, flowers white Herbst, D.R. 5729 Molokai BISH 1976-03-09
11 Cressa truxillensis Kealaikahiki Point Sand, rocks, above high wave mark Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 1747 Kahoolawe BISH 1983-04-13
12 Cressa truxillensis near Pearl City Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2410 Oahu BISH 1895-06-11
13 Cressa truxillensis Beach near Ka Lae o Ka Ilio Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 618 Molokai BISH 1915-03-25
14 Cressa truxillensis Transect C5, behind beach, Kaukaukapapa Bay. Among boulders Among boulders Preserved_Specimen Char, W.P. 78.08 Kahoolawe BISH 1978-11-26
15 Cressa truxillensis Between Laau Point and Papohaku Beach Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Molokai BISH 1982-05-18
16 Cressa truxillensis near Pearl City Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2410 Oahu BISH 1895-06-11
17 Cressa truxillensis Kauai Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 150 Kauai BISH 1977-02-12
18 Cressa truxillensis no specific locality Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 171 Niihau BISH
19 Cressa truxillensis Ka Lae o Ka Laau Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 64 Molokai BISH 1912-06-01
20 Cressa truxillensis Molokai Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Molokai BISH 1909-01-01
21 Cressa truxillensis Near military camp Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 9211 Kahoolawe BISH 1989-04-21
22 Cressa truxillensis Pearl River Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
23 Cressa truxillensis SW of Kaukaukapapa Beach and N of Kealaikahiki Point. Sandy beach, in sand substrate near sea level. Localized between this beach and Kealaikahiki Point. Sandy beach, in sand substrate near sea level. Localized between this beach and Kealaikahiki Point. Preserved_Specimen Low upright plant. Tiny flowers white. Foliage bluish-green. Cuddihy, L.W. 378 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-22
24 Cressa truxillensis N part of Papohaku Beach inland in dry stream bed with Ipomoea Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 10126 Molokai BISH 1983-10-15
25 Cressa truxillensis Kepuhi, Kaluakoi rocks, upper beach Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 12460 Molokai BISH 1932-12-22
26 Cressa truxillensis Pearl Harbor dried mud flat Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 3366 Oahu BISH 1927-04-01
27 Cressa truxillensis Puuloa landfill, drying mud Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 5996 Oahu BISH 1932-07-28
28 Cressa truxillensis W end, Kawakiu ~200 yds. inland on mud flats along standing water in steam bottom Preserved_Specimen blue green ground cover. Flowers white ~4 mm across, petals divided to base, anthers purple, pollen white, styles 2, divided to base, filamentous, capitate, white Hobdy, R.W. 2362 Molokai BISH 1985-04-19
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