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Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Mucuna

kā‘e‘e, kā‘e‘e‘e, sea bean

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Large, woody lianas.

Stems: Stems high–climbing or sprawling, 8–15(–80) m long.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets broadly elliptic or ovate, 4–13 cm long, 2.5–7.5 cm wide. Surfaces glabrous or glabrate. Leaflet margins entire. Petiolate. Stipules caducous. Leaflets stipellate.

Flowers: Flowers pseudoracemes short, corymbose, pendulous on a long peduncle, bracts and bracteoles fugacious, bracts up to 7 mm long, bracteoles up to 14 mm long. Flowers papilionaceous. Calyx campanulate, bilabiate. Corolla yellowish green, 3–4.5 cm long, showy, variously colored, standard shorter than other petals, wings incurved, stiffened at apex. Stamens 10; upper stamen distinct, the other 9 connate into a tube; anthers, dimorphic, 5 larger ones subbasifixed, alternating with 5 shorter anthers. Ovary superior, apical; ovules few; style 1, filiform, glabrous apically; stigma small, terminal.

Fruit: Pods. Seeds 2–3(4); brown; brown mottled with black; or rarely entirely black; discoid; 2–3 cm long; 1.8–2.5 cm wide.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Sprawling over rocks; shrubs; and trees usually near the ocean or streams.

Elevation Range: 0–310 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Indigenous

Island Status

Kaua'i Indigenous
O'ahu Indigenous
Molokai Indigenous
Kamole(Laysan Island) Indigenous
Maui Indigenous
Hawai'i Indigenous

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:688 (K, O, Mo, M, H [as M. gigantea]); Wilmot-Dear 1990:5/Wagner & Herbst 1995:21 (Syn. M. gigantea = M. g. subsp. gigantea, KEY); Moura et al. 2012:840 (KEY); Wiriadinata et al. 2016:108 (DESCR, KEY)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Climbing in trees at edge of water. Preserved_Specimen vine 5cm thick or more; fls greenish, clusters pendant. Fosberg, F.R. 14193 Oahu BISH 1937-07-04
2 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Climbing over thicket by shore. Preserved_Specimen Vines 10 or more m long; lvs shiny, above dark green, below green; fl. pale green; fr. black. St.John, H. 20029 Oahu BISH 1939-04-07
3 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Climbing over thicket by shore. Preserved_Specimen Flowers pale green, fruit black. St.John, H. 20029 Oahu BISH 1939-04-07
4 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waimea Arboretum & Botanical Garden In dense to partial shade. Climbing on trees. Preserved_Specimen Flowers lime grn. Lau, J. 2934 Oahu BISH 1986-11-10
5 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kehena Open lava region. Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 11240 Hawaii BISH 1931-12-21
6 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kalapana, Puna Shore on rocks. Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 13003 Hawaii BISH 1917-08-01
7 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, Hana District, Ulupalakua-Hana road, E of Nuanualoa Gulch, near Seven Pools (Hawaii Visitors Bureau marker) Growing on psidium guajava. Preserved_Specimen Vine. Chock, A.K. 337 Maui BISH 1951-12-27
8 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Puna near Seaview Rd Over juvenescent ohia on a`a clinker, Andropogon-Dicranopteris understory. Preserved_Specimen Forming sprays, several lianes w. large inflorescences, but no fruit. Takeuchi, W.N. 3400 Hawaii BISH 1987-02-08
9 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Laysan Beach. Preserved_Specimen Shelton, P.C. 420 Laysan Island BISH 1966-06-11
10 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Off Waiehu Beach Rd Growing on Scaevola shrubs near sea, found also assoc. w. Messerschmidia and Passiflora. Preserved_Specimen Lvs trifoliate, leaflets glabrous w. terminal leaflet petiolate; inflor. Axillary, pendulous on peduncles up to 25cm long; calyx hirsute w. rust-orange hairs, calyx entire; corolla pale grn w. keel and wings longer than standard. Ishikawa, S. 184 Oahu BISH 1972-12-18
11 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Halawa Preserved_Specimen Vines 100 ft x 1 in., climbing over trees. Flower green. St.John, H. 12713 Molokai BISH 1932-12-27
12 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea ahupuaa of Halepuaa in the Puna District. On the side of the Puna Trail Growing on the mauka side of the trail in full shade in a Psidium guajava thicket not far from tree planting area. Preserved_Specimen Kubo, R. 18 Hawaii BISH 1979-04-16
13 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hamoa Preserved_Specimen Vine, flower green. Handy, E.S. 339 Maui BISH 1933-06-08
14 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hanalei Preserved_Specimen Vine, climbing high over trees, fl green, pods dark brown. St.John, H. 23111 Kauai BISH 1947-12-28
15 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea N Hilo, 29 mi N of Hilo on state route 19 Preserved_Specimen Vine; corollas grn. Miller, J.S. 7935 Hawaii BISH 1992-08-05
16 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Preserved_Specimen 10 meter vines. St.John, H. 20029 Oahu BISH 1939-04-07
17 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Between Lumahai and Hanalei Valleys, just above beach Preserved_Specimen Vine climbing over trees. Frts and flower clusters pendent. Fosberg, F.R. 12789 Kauai BISH 1936-01-04
18 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Between Lumahai and Hanalei Valleys, just above beach Preserved_Specimen Vine climbing over trees. Frts and flower clusters pendent. Fosberg, F.R. 12789 Kauai BISH 1936-01-04
19 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hamoa Preserved_Specimen Handy, E.S. 3330 Maui BISH 1933-07-12
20 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kalapaua, Ranger Station Preserved_Specimen Strand plant. Krajina, V.J. 660627020 Hawaii BISH 1966-06-27
21 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hamoa Preserved_Specimen Vine, flower green. Handy, E.S. 339 Maui BISH 1933-06-08
22 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kalaupapa; Waileia, coast near mouth of river Preserved_Specimen large, woody liana; leaves pinately trifoliate; short corymbose pseudoracemes Hughes, G.D. 1131 Molokai BISH 2005-08-16
23 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, W of Hana Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 277 Maui BISH 1910-07-01
24 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea NW side of S extension of Mt Nonou Preserved_Specimen Liana, woody, climbing high in trees; flowers pale grn in long-peduncled drooping clusters; red sap oozes from bark. Stern, W.L. 1324 Kauai BISH 1961-08-01
25 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea puna, ca. 8mi E of Kalapana on rd to Kapoho Preserved_Specimen Fls grn. Neal, M.C. Hawaii BISH 1929-08-04
26 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Mountain Club Hike. Keee. Waiahole Trail Preserved_Specimen Green flowers. (Not on sheet) Oahu BISH 1945-12-30
27 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen White Fl. Top leaflets = blade ca. 18.5 x 15.3 cm, acute or mucronata tip, Petiole 12.7 cm Shigematsu, K. Oahu BISH 1992-12-18
28 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea kualoa, spur of Hakipuu ridge Preserved_Specimen Oswald, O. 5 Oahu BISH 1928-11-25
29 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen White fl. Top leaflets: blade ca. 18.5 cm x 15.3 cm, acute or mucronata tip. Petiole 12.7 cm Shigematsu, K. Oahu BISH
30 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hilo; South Hilo District; Waiakea by radio facility behind Leleiwi Pt Preserved_Specimen Vine with yellow-green flowers. Herbst, D.R. 5306 Hawaii BISH 1975-05-19
31 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea PTBG, Lawai Valley Preserved_Specimen Vine with yellow-grn flowers. Herbst, D.R. 2271 Kauai BISH 1971-12-28
32 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waihee Ditch Trail Preserved_Specimen Woolford, H.A. 171 Maui BISH 1955-12-31
33 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea valley E of Pelekunu Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 581 Molokai BISH 1912-09-01
34 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kualoa Ranch Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2653 Oahu BISH 1912-01-01
35 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kauai Preserved_Specimen Rémy, J. 670 Kauai BISH 1851-01-01
36 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea W of Hanalei; Japanese Cemetery, Kumu Road Preserved_Specimen Thorne, K. 10451 Kauai BISH 1992-05-28
37 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea 1 mile up Halawa Valley Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 25265 Molokai BISH 1953-12-26
38 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Molooa Gulch Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 550 Kauai BISH 1916-10-09
39 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hamoa Preserved_Specimen Handy, E.S. 3330 Maui BISH 1933-07-12
40 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole trail Preserved_Specimen Kerr, M. 7 Oahu BISH 1945-12-30
41 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Lihue Preserved_Specimen Faurie, A. 795 Kauai BISH 1909-11-01
42 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Maunapuluo, Hanakapiai, Napali Coast Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 10866 Kauai BISH 1930-12-30
43 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Halawa, drift seeds on sea beach Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 26268 Molokai BISH 1953-12-26
44 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Molokai Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Molokai BISH 1909-01-01
45 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kahana Preserved_Specimen Lyon, H.L. Oahu BISH 1915-09-15
46 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kalapaua, Puna Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Hawaii BISH 1917-09-01
47 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Islet off Malaekahana-Mokuauia Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1938-06-19
48 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, Hana Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Maui BISH 1933-06-08
49 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kaneohe Bay Preserved_Specimen Wilder, W. Oahu BISH 1935-04-01
50 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kahana Preserved_Specimen Lyon, H.L. Oahu BISH 1915-09-15
51 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Halawa Valley Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Molokai BISH 1918-04-01
52 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kau Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Hawaii BISH 1868-01-01
53 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hauula Preserved_Specimen Swezey, O.H. Oahu BISH 1932-11-11
54 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea ahupuaa of Halepuaa in the Puna District. Growing in the lower Nanawale Forest Reserve near the experimental planting area Preserved_Specimen Kubo, R. 21 Hawaii BISH 1979-04-20
55 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea unknown Preserved_Specimen BISH
56 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea 1 mile up Halawa Valley, thicket by stream thicket by stream Preserved_Specimen flowers green, fruit bagged Stafohm, H. 25265 Molokai BISH 1953-12-26
57 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hanapepe Valley Scrambling over guava. Preserved_Specimen Vine, fl greenish yelow. MacDaniels, L.H. 853 Kauai BISH 1927-02-22
58 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, N part of E Maui Along rd. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 27470 Maui BISH 1927-08-01
59 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hanapepe River valley, Hanapepe Climbing over trees. Preserved_Specimen Flower grn. St.John, H. 13497 Kauai BISH 1933-12-22
60 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kawainui Marsh; Kailua Rd. and Quarry Rd Growing on fence in pasture. Preserved_Specimen Flowers transluscent green as pale creamy jade. Smith, L.B. 103 Oahu BISH 1976-05-14
61 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kalanpapa Trail Vine on tree Preserved_Specimen Fl. green St.John, H. 25265 Molokai BISH 1953-12-25
62 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Keawanui Bay, along windward side of island Rocky coast, sprawling over hala. Preserved_Specimen Old pod and vegetative growth, liana, stems 10m long. Wagner, W.L. 5714 Molokai BISH 1987-07-30
63 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea puna: nar the coast at Wahaula Climbing wiliwili tree. Preserved_Specimen Trifoliate vine with grn fls; large black pods. Stone, B.C. 2894 Hawaii BISH 1959-06-21
64 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Makamakaole Valley, Kahukuloa Homesteads, Kahakuloa Dist By stream, by the mouth of the valley. Preserved_Specimen Vine, 5 cm thick, climbing over 8 meter trees. St.John, H. 26718 Maui BISH 1965-12-27
65 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Halawa Climbing over trees. Preserved_Specimen Vines 100ft x 1in; flower green. St.John, H. 12713 Molokai BISH 1932-12-27
66 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hanapepe; Ko Rd, betw rd and Hanapepe river Growing over Syzygium cumini. Preserved_Specimen Flowers pale green. Flynn, T.W. 1765 Kauai BISH 1986-06-03
67 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Koolau Range, Waikane-Schofield Trail Near stream, crossing rd leading to ditch house. Preserved_Specimen Fls greenish. Cowan, R.S. 26 Oahu BISH 1946-09-22
68 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea ahupuaa of Halepuaa in the Puna District, on the side of the Puna Trail Growing on the mauka side of the trail in full shade in a Psidium guajava thicket not far from the tree planting area. Preserved_Specimen Kubo, R. 18 Hawaii BISH 1979-04-16
69 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, Hana, Wakiu Climbing high over trees. Preserved_Specimen Vine, fls green. St.John, H. 17831 Maui BISH 1936-12-30
70 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Along Honokohau ditch trail In guava thicket. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 25136 Maui BISH 1959-01-01
71 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Windward Kohala coast, Honokane Iki valley, N wall, trail from Pololu, lowest switchback on Psidium guajava; P. cattleianum, Mangifera, Psydrax odorata Preserved_Specimen large vine Price, J.P. 69 Hawaii BISH 2001-08-05
72 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Puna near Seaview Rd Over juvenescent ohia on a`a clinker, Andropogon-Dicranopteris understory. Preserved_Specimen Forming sprays, several lianes w. large inflorescences, but no fruit. Takeuchi, W.N. 3400 Hawaii BISH 1987-02-08
73 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Halawa Valley Climbing amongst the trees and brush. Preserved_Specimen Growing in great profusion. Munro, G.C. 122 Molokai BISH 1927-06-27
74 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Puna near Seaview Rd Over juvenescent ohia on a`a clinker, Andropogon-Dicranopteris understory. Preserved_Specimen Forming sprays, several lianes w. large inflorescences, but no fruit. Takeuchi, W.N. 3400 Hawaii BISH 1987-02-08
75 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Climbing over thicket by shore. Preserved_Specimen Vines 10 or more m long; lvs shiny, above dark green, below green; fl. pale green; fr. black. St.John, H. 20029 Oahu BISH 1939-04-07
76 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea W Maui, end of rd, Honokahao Valley Near sea. Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.J. Maui BISH 1932-08-17
77 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Awina Ahupuaa, Honopue Valle, North Kohala. Growing into Psidium guajava trees approximately 100 meters from the beach on the northwe__ side of Honopue Valley. Growing with Psidium guajava, Terminalia catappa, Schinus terebinthifolius, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, Pandanus tectorius, Causuarina equisetifolia, Sphageticola trilobata. Preserved_Specimen Large vine more than 10 cm. basal diameter. Flowers greenish white, immature fruit green. VanDeMark, J. 33 Hawaii BISH 2019-12-20
78 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kawainui Marsh; Kailua Rd. and Quarry Rd Growing on fence in pasture. Preserved_Specimen Flowers transluscent green as pale creamy jade. Smith, L.B. 103 Oahu BISH 1976-05-14
79 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, Palikea stream, haleakala National Park, Kipahulu Valley, 1/8mile up stream where Palikea and Pipiwai stream meet Vegetation: Primarily exotic consisting of Microsorium, Mangifera and Psidium guajava. Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 5776 Maui BISH 1977-04-29
80 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Mouth of Wailau Valley Top of rocky beach, climbing over low shrubs. Preserved_Specimen Vine, infl pendent, fls pale grn. Fosberg, F.R. 13450 Molokai BISH 1936-12-28
81 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Slopes of Waiohookalo Stream valley, N Molokai Steep, rocky slopes w. secondary forest of psidium guajava, Syzygium malaccense, adn native remnants including Diospyros sandwicensis, Metrosideros, and Nestegis, w. understory of Kalanchoe pinnata & Zingiber zerumbet. Preserved_Specimen Liana, stem 4-5cm diam, inflor. Pendulous, flowers opening in late afternoon w. faint cabbage odor, calyx & corolla pale grn, stamens white. Lorence, D.H. 5413 Molokai BISH 1987-07-31
82 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Kalapana, Puna Shore. Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 13003 Hawaii BISH 1917-09-07
83 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Off dirt rd leading to Kahana Valley, (across beach park) Crawling on Cassia and grasses. Preserved_Specimen Vine; lvs trifoliate w. terminal leaflet petiolate; inflorescences axillary on long peduncle; calyx w. long golden hairs; petals lt grn, standard shorter than keel and wings; fruits w. parallel wings along margins, brown. Ishikawa, S. 193 Oahu BISH 1972-12-14
84 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Honolulu: Manoa Valley; Lyon Arboretum at head of Manoa Valley. In living collections Growing on white flowered Pseudobombax tree across from Cottage D. Preserved_Specimen Vine; lvs 3-foliate; flws pale cream to greenish white turning blackish on drying. Shigematsu, K. 16 Oahu BISH 1992-12-18
85 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Malama-Ki Forest Reserve, Puna District Climbing on trees and sprawling on `a`a substrate, in open Metrosideros - Diospyros forest. Preserved_Specimen Large woody liana. Flowers green. Dry fruit dark brown in color. Cuddihy, L.W. 683 Hawaii BISH 1981-01-20
86 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Climbing over thicket by shore. Preserved_Specimen Vines 10 or more m long; lvs shiny, above dark green, below green; fl. pale green; fr. black. St.John, H. 20029 Oahu BISH 1939-04-07
87 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Waiahole Climbing over thicket by shore. Preserved_Specimen Vines 10 or more m long; lvs shiny, above dark green, below green; fl. pale green; fr. black. St.John, H. 20029 Oahu BISH 1939-04-07
88 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Malama-Ki Forest Reserve, Puna District Sprawling on `a`a substrate, common in open Metrosideros - Diospyros forest. Preserved_Specimen Large woody liana climbing on trees. Flowers green. Dry fruit dark brown in color. Cuddihy, L.W. 683 Hawaii BISH 1981-01-20
89 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Along Hwy 56 near Puukumu St Growing along the bank of rd. Preserved_Specimen Flowers greenish, pods two winged, hairless with 2-4 flat seeds. Spence, G. 416 Kauai BISH 1976-11-02
90 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Puna near Seaview Rd Over juvenescent ohia on a`a clinker, Andropogon-Dicranopteris understory. Preserved_Specimen Forming sprays, several lianes w. large inflorescences, but no fruit. Takeuchi, W.N. 3400 Hawaii BISH 1987-02-08
91 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea East Maui, Hana, Wakiu Climbing high over trees. Preserved_Specimen Vine, fls green. St.John, H. 17831 Maui BISH 1936-12-30
92 Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea Hanalei District. Going towards Haena along Hwy 56, past the Hanalei Valley Scenic point By the side of the rd. Preserved_Specimen Herat, T. 307 Kauai BISH 1973-06-08
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