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Cascabela thevetia

(L.) Lippold (1980)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Apocynaceae Genus: Cascabela

be still tree, be-still tree, lucky nut, nohomālie, yellow oleander

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Small trees or shrubs 3–7 m tall.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Spirally arranged. Blades linear–lanceolate, 10–15 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide. Surfaces glabrous; upper surfaces ± coriaceous and lustrous; lower surfaces pale. Margins entire. Subsessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers usually in terminal, bracteate cymes. Peduncles ca. 1 cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx 5-lobed, bearing squamelle within; narrowly triangular, 5–7 mm long. Corolla 5-lobed, bright yellow, broadly funnelform, the mouth closed by 5 appendages, attached above and opposite the stamens; the tube and throat 2.7–3.3 cm long, the lobes 35–50 mm long. Stamens 5, not exserted. Ovary superior; 2-lobed, 2-celled; ovules 2 per cell.

Fruit: Fruit drupaceous; brown to black; rhomboid; flattened; wider than long; 2.5 cm long; ca. 4 cm wide. Seeds 2(–4); ca. 1 cm long.

Ploidy: 2n = 18; 20; 22

Habitat: Naturalized in disturbed mesic sites.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Seed extract once used for atrial fibrillation medication.

  • Used as an ornamental shrub.

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Historically cultivated and exported from Hawaii for pharmaceutical use.

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Naturalized
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Birds

Pollinators

Notes

  • All parts of the plant are fatally poisonous, especially the seeds. Smoke from burning plant can also cause poisoning. Seek medical attention immediately, death can occur from 2 to 24 hours after ingestion.

Bibliography

Name Published In: Feddes Repert. 91: 52 (1980)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:215 (K, O, M [as Cascabela thevetia]); Wagner & Herbst 1999:1858 (Syn. C. thevetia = Thevetia peruviana); Starr et al. 2002:17 (Mi); Staples & Herbst 2005:127 (DESCR); Wysong et al. 2007:2 (Mo); Oppenheimer 2011:5 (L); Alvarado-Cardenas & Ochoterena 2007:320 (Syn. T. peruviana = C. thevetia)

Poisonous Plants of Paradise (Scott, Thomas) p.18

Poisonous Plants of Hawaii (Arnold), Poisonous Plants of Paradise (Scott, Thomas) p.9 (Arnold), 17-19 (Scott, Thomas)

Hawaii's Poisonous Plants (Baldwin) p.24

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cascabela thevetia Koloa. Weliweli road, .3 mile east of junction with waikomo road. Naturalized in pasture lands S of road Pasture lands. Preserved_Specimen Shrubby, to nine ft. Leaves dark green, glossy above, paler, dull below. Corolla bright yellow. Flynn, T.W. 1897 Kauai BISH 1986-09-08
2 Cascabela thevetia Kaneohe Preserved_Specimen Flower; clear, satiny yellow. Kinikini, T.V. 59 Oahu BISH 1967-05-13
3 Cascabela thevetia University of Hawaii Manoa by the Teachers College Preserved_Specimen Tree 4 m. high, cultivated. Corolla salmon-colored. St.John, H. 18402 Oahu BISH 1937-10-15
4 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen 80 ft. a.s. Krajina, V.J. 6198 Oahu BISH 1961-10-12
5 Cascabela thevetia Mokuleia Preserved_Specimen Flowers salmon pink. Degener, O. 21461 Oahu BISH 1951-10-01
6 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu; Kalihi, around graveyard on the corner of Kapalama & School St Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow, fruits mature. Kennedy, B. 11 Oahu BISH 1996-02-01
7 Cascabela thevetia UH Manoa, behind Wist Hall Preserved_Specimen Small tree w/ coriaceous, dark-green, glossy leaves, yellow mildly [?] fragrant flowers, black fruit, milky sap. 11-1/2# fresh, ground 1076 gm (Aug 26) - fl, st, lf. b) 948 gm fruit, sd, Oct 9 Herbst, D.R. 537 Oahu BISH 1967-08-22
8 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus, parking structure in quarry Preserved_Specimen Rounded tree 3 m. tall in full sun. The corolla tube is buttercup yellow within and canary without. The flower has a slight pleasant odor (afternoon). Lau, J. 1189 Oahu BISH 1985-01-01
9 Cascabela thevetia Lawai Valley (Pacific Tropical Botanic Garden) Big Valley. Abundantly naturalized in valley bottom and lower slopes Preserved_Specimen Lactiferous shrub 3 m. tall, flowers bright yellow. Fosberg, F.R. 53653 Kauai BISH 1971-04-03
10 Cascabela thevetia Kalihi, around graveyard on the corner of Kapalama and School St Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow, fruits mature. Kennedy, B. 11 Oahu BISH 1996-02-01
11 Cascabela thevetia University of Hawaii Manoa, rear of Wist Hall Preserved_Specimen Small tree with coriaceous, glossy, dark-green foliage; yellow, milky fragrant flowers; black fruit; milky sap. Herbst, D.R. 537 Oahu BISH 1967-08-22
12 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu; Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 6198 Oahu BISH 1961-10-12
13 Cascabela thevetia Kalaupapa Preserved_Specimen Small trees or shrubs; white sap; flower yellow. Oppenheimer, H.L. 70701 Molokai BISH 2007-07-01
14 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu District, Camp Catlin area between H1 Freeway and Camp Catlin Preserved_Specimen Flowers white. Herbst, D.R. 9374 Oahu BISH 1991-03-15
15 Cascabela thevetia Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Tree 6 m. tall; stems with abundant milky white latex; corollas yellow; fruits green. Miller, J.S. 7852 Oahu BISH 1992-07-30
16 Cascabela thevetia Garden of H. Dukes, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Small tree. Fls. flesh orange. Fosberg, F.R. 9375 Oahu BISH 1933-04-01
17 Cascabela thevetia University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Yellow stamens and pistols under fals bottom. Hume, E.P. 62 Oahu BISH 1930-11-15
18 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Brigham, W.T. Oahu BISH
19 Cascabela thevetia Palolo Valley Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 396 Oahu BISH 1920-05-02
20 Cascabela thevetia Palolo Valley Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 396 Oahu BISH 1920-05-02
21 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu, Foster Botanical Gardens Preserved_Specimen Jensen, S.R. 285 Oahu BISH 1985-02-21
22 Cascabela thevetia Waiahole Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 1288 Oahu BISH 1909-01-23
23 Cascabela thevetia University of Hawaii Campus Preserved_Specimen Davis, W.C. Oahu BISH 1930-11-15
24 Cascabela thevetia HSPA grounds Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. Oahu BISH 1930-07-09
25 Cascabela thevetia due N of Kanepu`u near road at Lapa Iki. Locally naturalized in remnant Diospyros/Nestegis Forest. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 100911 Lanai BISH 2009-10-27
26 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Coker, A.H. Oahu BISH 1962-03-03
27 Cascabela thevetia Hawaiiian Islands Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 6632 BISH
28 Cascabela thevetia Kahuku Hospital Clay, rocky, silt.; Small hill. Preserved_Specimen Shrub or small tree. Leaves alternate, narrow; flowers fragrant. Utai, M. 318 Oahu BISH 1975-03-01
29 Cascabela thevetia East Maui, Hana District, Coastal pasture lands SE of Hamoa to Waioka, Makaalae, at edge of large Terminalia/Syzygium grove near old home sites Coastal pasture lands. Preserved_Specimen Shrubs of 20 ft. Leaves dark, glossy green above, pale green below. Flowers very fragrant, corolla bright yellow. Flynn, T.W. 2572 Maui BISH 1987-10-27
30 Cascabela thevetia Kalaupapa; community, behind Guy's house mixed dry non-native Preserved_Specimen 5 m shrub, erect; yellow flowers, milky sap Wysong, M.L. 800 Molokai BISH 2005-08-10
31 Cascabela thevetia Koloa. Weliweli road, .3 mile east of junction with Waikomo road. Naturalized in pasture just S of road Pastureland Preserved_Specimen To nine ft. Leaves dark green, glossy above, paler, dull below. Corolla bright yellow. Flynn, T.W. 1897 Kauai BISH 1986-09-08
32 Cascabela thevetia Lawai Valley dryland native hill. Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 2011 Kauai BISH 1971-07-20
33 Cascabela thevetia Kapaa, Opala Road w/ groves of Leucaena leucocephala, Urochloa maxima, Ficus sp., Naturalizing on both sides of the road Thich grove with juveniles. Preserved_Specimen Yellow tubular sweet smelling flowers. White sap, Fruit green immature, mature black Tangalin, N. 1352 Kauai BISH 2007-05-31
34 Cascabela thevetia Kaukonahua Rd. nr. Hukilau Lp., Wailua Silty loam. Preserved_Specimen Small tree to 10' high. Narrow dark green leaves, yellow trumpet flowers. Afualo, D. 5 Oahu BISH 1975-02-09
35 Cascabela thevetia Honolulu; Makiki Valley; 20m North of intersection of Makiki Street & Round Top Drive Spathodea campanulata, Ficus sp. Roadside, disturbed dryland (riparian margin). Preserved_Specimen Tree or shrub 3-7 meters tall; corolla bright yellow. Ray, G. 7282 Oahu BISH 1998-01-25
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