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Bixa orellana

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malvales Family: Bixaceae Genus: Bixa

‘alaea [alaea], ‘alaea la‘au [alaea laau], achiote, annatto, kumauna, lipstick tree

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs or small trees 1.5–8(–15) m tall.

Stems: Branchlets reddish brown.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple or compound (palmate). Alternate. Blades ovate to cordate or ovate–lanceolate, 5–27 cm long, 3–18 cm wide. Upper surfaces glabrous or sparsely lepidote; lower surfaces densely lepidote, the scales minute, reddish brown; ; red–dotted. Margins entire. Petioles 2–10(–14) cm long. Stipules narrowly ovate, ca. 1 cm long; protecting the terminal bud.

Flowers: Flowers in terminal panicles. Peduncles and pedicels densely reddish brown. Pedicels with 5–6 apical glands. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic. Calyx of 5 sepals; sepals alternate with the pedicel; orbicular, ca. 1 cm long, densely reddish brown lepidote. Corolla of 5 petals, distinct, imbricate or convolute; white or rarely pinkish, obovate, 2–3 cm long. Stamens numerous, ± in 2–5 groups, sometimes inserted on nectary disk; anthers dithecal, opening by short slits or pores; horseshoe–shaped, folded so that the terminal pore area is morphologically central; filaments inserted on nectary disk. Ovary superior usually bristly, 1-celled with 2 opposite, intruded, parietal placentas; placentation partly axile or parietal; ovules numerous, anatropous; style 1; stigma 2-lobed.

Fruit: Fruit a loculicidal capsules. capsules compressed at right angles to the placenta; red to brown; variable in size and shape but basically globose to ovoid; 1.5–4.5 cm long; covered with short flexible spines. Seeds with oily or starchy endosperm; numerous; red; irregularly shaped; ca. 5 mm long; angled; fleshy and densely studded with small; round; red; sessile glands.

Ploidy: 2n = 14; 16.

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Only found in cultivation

Island Status

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

Dispersal Agents

Birds

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 512 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:390 (K, O, Mo, M); Staples & Herbst 2005:191 (DESCR); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:164 (exclude from checklist, no current evidence of nat.)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Bixa orellana Honolulu, University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Dry region. Preserved_Specimen Inafuku, R. Oahu BISH 1930-10-13
2 Bixa orellana Gulch west of Ualapue Naturalized in pasture. Preserved_Specimen Flowers pink. Degener, O. 9166 Molokai BISH 1928-06-30
3 Bixa orellana Honolulu, University of Hawaii Manoa Campus, Hale Kuahine In full sun. Preserved_Specimen Tree 3 m. tall. Petals blush pink in color. Stamens canary at the base, becoming mauve distally. Flower fragrance none (at mid-morning). Lau, J. 1227 Oahu BISH 1985-07-18
4 Bixa orellana East arm of Kaluaaha Valley Naturalized with Lantana. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 9165 Molokai BISH 1928-07-12
5 Bixa orellana Puhi Camp, west of Kauai Community College From yard of abandoned homesite. Preserved_Specimen Shrub of 8 ft. Flynn, T.W. 1641 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
6 Bixa orellana UH Campus Arboretum. Near Pope Greenhouse. Preserved_Specimen Healthy tree - 16 ft. tall. Bright pink 5 petaled flowers at branch tips. Fruit red and softly spiny pod which becomes dry and dehiscent. Crose, B. 70 Oahu BISH 2023-11-17
7 Bixa orellana Honolulu, University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. 75 Oahu BISH 1929-10-11
8 Bixa orellana Waianae Preserved_Specimen Topping, D.L. 3107 Oahu BISH 1925-04-19
9 Bixa orellana Gulch west of Ualapue Naturalized in pasture. Preserved_Specimen Flowers pink. Degener, O. 9166 Molokai BISH 1928-06-30
10 Bixa orellana Kahana Valley Project. On the Kawa side of the valley, Near the old abandoned Morman church and cemetery Few cultivated trees. Preserved_Specimen With red fruits and dark red staining seeds. Herat, T. 173 Oahu BISH 1972-08-17
11 Bixa orellana Halawa Valley In mixed forest. Preserved_Specimen Small tree in grove. Munro, G.C. 121 Molokai BISH 1927-06-27
12 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Vineyard Street, Nursery of H.S.P.A Preserved_Specimen White flowers. Wilder, G.P. Oahu BISH 1931-01-27
13 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Grant, M.L. 7125 Oahu BISH 1934-07-31
14 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Nuuanu Street, Hillebrand Garden Planted. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11073 Oahu BISH 1937-02-25
15 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Manoa Valley, Woodlawn Drive Preserved_Specimen Tree 15-16 ft. high. Fruit capsule soft rose-colored (flowers pink). Hartt, C.E. Oahu BISH 1957-10-07
16 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Nuuanu Street, Hillebrand Garden Preserved_Specimen Planted. Degener, O. 11074 Oahu BISH 1937-02-25
17 Bixa orellana Hilo Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 710 Hawaii BISH 1864-01-01
18 Bixa orellana East Maui, S of Hana Naturalized along roadside. (See comments). Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 2242 Maui BISH 1927-06-12
19 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Vineyard Street Nursery of H.S.P.A Preserved_Specimen Form with smooth fruit. Wilder, G.P. Oahu BISH 1931-01-27
20 Bixa orellana Oahu Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11073 Oahu BISH 1937-01-01
21 Bixa orellana Hilo Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 343 Hawaii BISH 1926-11-25
22 Bixa orellana valley opposite Gay & Robinson's Hanapepe Valley House Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2477 Kauai BISH 1895-07-01
23 Bixa orellana Honolulu, in Forest Nursery of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association, 50 N. Vineyard St Preserved_Specimen Harris, J.A. 242273 Oahu BISH 1924-10-02
24 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Niu Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1720 Oahu BISH 1911-05-02
25 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Mrs. Fosters' Residence Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12605 Oahu BISH 1916-01-01
26 Bixa orellana Kaluaaha Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 365 Molokai BISH 1912-08-01
27 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Bishop Museum In partial shade. Preserved_Specimen A shrub 2.5 m. tall. Petals light pink to mauve, lighter in color towards the base. Fruits brick-red to scarlet. Flowers odorless (afternoon). Lau, J. 1571 Oahu BISH 1985-10-29
28 Bixa orellana unknown Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. BISH 1864-01-01
29 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Vineyard Street Nursery of H.S.P.A Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. 14 Oahu BISH 1929-07-31
30 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Kalihi, Bishop Estate Nursery Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1930-11-12
31 Bixa orellana Honolulu, Kalihi, Bishop Estate Nursery Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1930-11-12
32 Bixa orellana Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Kirsch, O. Oahu BISH 1964-12-07
33 Bixa orellana East Maui, Hana District, between Kipahulu and Hana Preserved_Specimen Couch, M.J. Maui BISH 1931-11-10
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