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Tropaeolum majus

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Brassicales Family: Tropaeolaceae Genus: Tropaeolum

garden nasturtium, pohe haole

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Somewhat succulent annual or short-lived perennial herbs, with watery, acrid sap.

Stems: Stems glabrous, usually climbing.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate or the lowermost opposite. Blades peltate, orbicular or ± angled, 4–15 cm wide. Lower surfaces papillose. Margins entire to undulate. ca. 9-veined. Petioles twining, 10–30 cm long or sometimes more. Stipules minute.

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the leaf axils. Flowers bisexual (perfect), strongly zygomorphic, 2.5–6 cm long. Calyx funnel shaped, greenish yellow, 5-lobed, imbricate, dorsal one produced into a nectariferous spur. Spur 2.5–3 cm long, straight or curved. Corolla of 5 petals, imbricate, clawed, the lower petals deeply fringed on the claw, apex of petals usually rounded, yellow, orange, reddish orange, or red, throat often darker, sometimes striped and spotted. Stamens 8, in 2 whorls of 4, declined; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 3-carpellate, with as many lobes and cells, placentation apicalaxile; ovules 1 per cell, pendulous, anatropous; style 1; stigmas 3, linear.

Fruit: Fruit 3–lobed; ca. 8 mm long; prominently ribbed. Seeds 1 per mericarp; with a large; straight embryo; endosperm absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 24; 28

Habitat: Mesic; disturbed areas.

Elevation Range: 850–1,350 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Potentially naturalizing
Molokai Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Notes

  • 850-1350 m
  • Description digitized by Rafael Domingo
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • also known as nasturium, used as companion plant to deter pests
  • hillerbrand 1888

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: errata, last page (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1295 (K, Mo, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:550 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Tropaeolum majus Kaunakakai Gulch Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 626 Molokai BISH 1915-03-28
2 Tropaeolum majus Waimea District. Kokee State Park, jct. of Halemanu Rd. and Kokee Rd. near Tracking Station Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 4967 Kauai BISH 1983-08-26
3 Tropaeolum majus Waimea District. Kokee State Park, Waineke Swamp along Mohihi Rd. ~1/2 mi. SE of Kokee Lodge; marshy area with Cyperaceae, Gramineae, and Cyclosorus interruptus Preserved_Specimen trailing herb with succulent stems, flowers lemon yellow. Lorence, D.H. 5287 Kauai BISH 1987-08-01
4 Tropaeolum majus Waimea District. Kokee State Park, John Plews cabin; Camp 10 Rd Preserved_Specimen Plews, J.H.R. Kauai BISH 1986-10-23
5 Tropaeolum majus W Kawela Gulch; go down SE.-trending ridge from exclosure site, to gulch floor and upstream; lower slopes of steep sided gulch, just below 30-ft. plunge pool with Ricinus, Melinis, Dodonaea, Styphelia and Metrosideros overstory; scattered shade Preserved_Specimen trailing herb Mill, S.W. 511 Molokai BISH 1986-10-17
6 Tropaeolum majus Keauhou Ranch, Kau District, 30 feet from Puu oo road Growing in a pit (collapsed lava tube), with Odontonema strictum, Kahili ginger, and `ohi`a lehua, 30 ft. from road. Preserved_Specimen Vine. Davis, J. 184 Hawaii BISH 1980-01-04
7 Tropaeolum majus Keauhou Ranch, Kau District. Near Puu oo trail, ca. 1/4 mile from ranch house Growing in depression, a collapsed lava tube, with Odontonema stricta, Kahili ginger, and Metrosideros, near trail. Preserved_Specimen Vine. Flowers orange. Davis, J. 311 Hawaii BISH 1980-06-25
8 Tropaeolum majus Keauou Ranch, Kau District, near eastern boundary with Meyer's Ranch Growing with Pennisetum clandestinum (kikuyu) in stand of planted Gymnosperms. Preserved_Specimen Creeping herb. Flowers dark orange. Cuddihy, L.W. 650 Hawaii BISH 1980-10-23
9 Tropaeolum majus Sunset Beach sandy loam Preserved_Specimen herb to 12; round leaves, orange flowers Afualo, D. 134 Oahu BISH 1975-03-25
10 Tropaeolum majus Waimea District. Kokee State Park, Awaawapuhi Valley mixed mesophytic forest with Metrosideros dominant Preserved_Specimen Herb with trailing stems, flowers deep orange Lorence, D.H. 5273 Kauai BISH 1987-06-12
11 Tropaeolum majus Kula or Hamakua Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Maui BISH
12 Tropaeolum majus Keauhou Ranch, Kau district, 30 ft. from Puu oo raod Growing in pit (collapsed lava tube), with Odontonema strictum, Kahili ginger and ohia lehua. Preserved_Specimen Vine. Davis, J. 184 Hawaii BISH 1980-01-04
13 Tropaeolum majus Kula Preserved_Specimen watery, weak-stemmed, trailing herb with orange flowers Herbst, D.R. 783 Maui BISH 1967-12-15
14 Tropaeolum majus Puna District, land of Olaa, volcano transfer dump Preserved_Specimen decumbent herb with orange flowers. Plant watery and with a peppery taste Herbst, D.R. 5601 Hawaii BISH 1975-12-16
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