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Heliconia bihai

(L.) L. (1771)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Zingiberales Family: Heliconiaceae Genus: Heliconia

jacquinii heliconia, lobster claw

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs 1–2 m tall.

Stems: Pseudostems.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Longest blade 100–250 cm long, 20–40 cm wide. Surfaces green. Margins entire. Petiolate and sheathing, petioles 50–115 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers 10–20 in an erect inflorescences (cincinnus) up to 60 cm long (exc. peduncle); rachis red, cincinnal bracts reddish orange with green margins and apex, 12–25 cm long, 11–13 cm wide at base, distichous, 5–12 per inflorescence, glabrous, margins straight, middle bract with apex acuminate. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx of 2 connate abaxial sepals and 1 nearly distinct adaxial sepal. Perianth white basally to pale green toward apex, 5.5–6.5 cm long, glabrous. Fertile stamens 5, staminode 1; opposite distinct sepal; filaments linear, attached to base of perianth tube; anthers tetrathecal, opening longitudinally. Ovary inferior, white, glabrous. 3-celled; ovules 1 per cell, erect; style 1.

Fruit: Drupes blue; glabrous. Seeds surrounded by a stony; roughened endocarp (pyrenes); embryo straight; endosperm copious.

Ploidy: 2n = 24

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Only found in cultivation
Maui Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • 1941 (Neal s.n., BISH).
  • Native to the Caribbean and South America; in Hawai'i cultivated as an ornamental, now naturalized along the Hana Highway, Maui. Cultivated on O'ahu as early as 1941. This species is one of the most taxonomically complex in the genus. Many variations in size and inflorescence coloration exist throughout its native range. Some distinct geographical races, many of which are in cultivation in Hawai'i, may deserve varietal status.

Bibliography

Name Published In: Mant. Pl. 2: 211 (1771)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1441 (EM); Staples & Herbst 2005:662 (KEY), 663 (DESCR); Faccenda 2024b:126 (O)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Heliconia bihai Waimanalo Forest Reserve, near trailhead on the Waikupanaha side of trail. Shady mesic understory. Associated; Citharexylum spinosum, Citharexylum caudatum, Filicium decipiens, Syzygium guajava, Heptapleurum actinophyllum. Preserved_Specimen Flower bract color red-orange with green margins inside of bract is yellow - orange, leaves slightly lighter in color on underside. Arthur, K. 99 Oahu BISH 2025-05-22
2 Heliconia bihai East Maui, Hana District, 2 miles past Keanae (Hana side) off Hana Highway In shade. Preserved_Specimen Large herbs to 10 ft. Inflorescence erect, bracts orange-red with green tips, more or less spaced, in 1 plane. Leaves large, petiolate. Ishikawa, S. 191 Maui BISH 1972-12-20
3 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Clump 4 m tall; bracts crimson & blood red w/some greenish color along margins; petals & sepals a combination of white & dark green. Lau, J. 2860 Oahu BISH 1986-09-23
4 Heliconia bihai Kalihi Valley, Kalihi St in back of valley Roadside, wet, full shade Preserved_Specimen Common, going over 50 ft into woods from edge of road, naturalized and abundant in this area Faccenda, K. 2375 Oahu BISH 2022-05-19
5 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Clump 4 m tall; bracts crimson & blood red w/some greenish color along margins; petals & sepals a combination of white & dark green. Lau, J. 2758 Oahu BISH 1986-08-18
6 Heliconia bihai East Maui, Pua O. Entabeni, HC 1 370 Hana Highway, Haiku Preserved_Specimen Perennial to 3m; bracts red with green. Annable, C.R. 3165 Maui BISH 1996-11-24
7 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Plant 2 m tall; bracts scarlet to crimson w/dark green margins, orange within; Sepals & petals a combination of white, pale green & medium green. Lau, J. 2751 Oahu BISH 1986-08-18
8 Heliconia bihai Molokai Community College farm In 50' row surrounded by windbreaks on all sides. Preserved_Specimen 8' tall, clumping; lvs 30-36' long, medium to dark green above, shiny lighter green below; midrib purple below, margin wavy; petiole green mottled red; infl. heavy, bracts soft red w/green margin; flwr green/white in 2 rows. Evans, M. 48 Molokai BISH 1990-07-05
9 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Plant 2 m tall; bracts scarlet to crimson w/dark green margins, orange within; Sepals & petals a combination of white, pale green & medium green. Lau, J. 2751 Oahu BISH 1986-08-18
10 Heliconia bihai East Maui, Hana District, 2 miles past Keanae (Hana side) off Hana Highway In shade. Preserved_Specimen Large herbs to 10 ft. Inflorescence erect, bracts orange-red with green tips, more or less spaced, in 1 plane. Leaves large, petiolate. Ishikawa, S. 191 Maui BISH 1972-12-20
11 Heliconia bihai Nuuanu Pali Dr. Above where the housing development ends Roadside, shaded, moist Preserved_Specimen Faccenda, K. 1929 Oahu BISH 2021-05-29
12 Heliconia bihai Molokai Community College farm In 50' row surrounded by windbreaks on all sides. Preserved_Specimen 8' tall, clumping; lvs 30-36' long, medium to dark green above, shiny lighter green below; midrib purple below, margin wavy; petiole green mottled red; infl. heavy, bracts soft red w/green margin; flwr green/white in 2 rows. Evans, M. 48 Molokai BISH 1990-07-05
13 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Clump 4 m tall; bracts crimson & blood red w/some greenish color along margins; petals & sepals a combination of white & dark green. Lau, J. 2758 Oahu BISH 1986-08-18
14 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Clump 4 m tall; bracts crimson & blood red w/some greenish color along margins; petals & sepals a combination of white & dark green. Lau, J. 2758 Oahu BISH 1986-08-18
15 Heliconia bihai Kalihi Valley, Kalihi St in back of valley Roadside, wet, full shade Preserved_Specimen Common, going over 50 ft into woods from edge of road, naturalized and abundant in this area Faccenda, K. 2375 Oahu BISH 2022-05-19
16 Heliconia bihai Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Clump 4 m tall; bracts crimson & blood red w/some greenish color along margins; petals & sepals a combination of white & dark green. Lau, J. 2860 Oahu BISH 1986-09-23
17 Heliconia bihai Kalihi Valley, Kalihi St in back of valley Roadside, wet, full shade Preserved_Specimen Common, going over 50 ft into woods from edge of road, naturalized and abundant in this area Faccenda, K. 2375 Oahu BISH 2022-05-19
18 Heliconia bihai S of road next to Limahuli Stream In an abandoned garden with mant exotic introductions. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1978-06-16
19 Heliconia bihai 42 Coelho Way Preserved_Specimen Plant 4-6' high; lvs green on both sides; fr. bracts red except edges which are green at & near tip. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1941-06-18
20 Heliconia bihai 42 Coelho Way Preserved_Specimen Plant 4-6' high; lvs green on both sides; fr. bracts red except edges which are green at & near tip. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1941-06-18
21 Heliconia bihai Wahiawa Botanical Gardens Preserved_Specimen Herb to 5 m; stems green w/maroon coloring on lower parts; lvs dull green above, shiny light yellow-green below; infl. erect, bracts bright gold; flwr white; frt round, blue. Teraoka, W. 320 Oahu BISH 1980-07-03
22 Heliconia bihai Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Flwr red-shaded dark. Thompson 1251 Oahu BISH 1925-05-01
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