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Lobelia niihauensis

H.St.John (1931)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Campanulaceae Genus: Lobelia

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrub.

Stems: Stems woody, prostrate, 2–4 dm long, branched at or below the middle, each branch with an apical rosette of leaves.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 7–15 cm long, 0.7–1.8 cm wide. Apex acute to acuminate. Surfaces glabrous or pubescent. Margins entire to callose–serrulate, flat to undulate or revolute. Sessile or subsessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences unbranched, 12–15 cm long, glabrous or pubescent, pedicels 8–25 mm long, bracts filiform, linear, or subulate, 2–10 mm long; hypanthium obconical to hemispherical, 2–5 mm long, glabrous or pubescent. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx 5-lobed, lobes linear to triangular, 1–5 mm long, glabrous or pubescent, sepals connate, tube adnate to ovary. Corolla zygomorphic, dorsally cleft almost to base, magenta, 22-36 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, glabrous or pubescent, the lobes spirally revolute, tube suberect. Stamens 5, alternate with corolla lobes; staminal column glabrous or sparsely pubescent; anthers glabrous, the lower 2 with apical tufts of white hairs, dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits, coherent but separating after anthesis or connate and forming a tube into which pollen is shed; filaments distinct or connate above, attached to the epigynous nectary disk or to base of corolla, rarely adnate to corolla tube. Ovary inferior, 2-celled, often crowned with an annular nectary disk; ovule placentation axile, or when 1-celled with 2 parietal placentas; stigmas wet or dry, 2-lobed, appressed and nonreceptive as the style grows through the anther tube, pushing out the pollen, after which the stigmas spread apart and become receptive.

Fruit: Capsules ovoid; 6–8 mm long; glabrous or pubescent; dehiscent at apex by 2 valves. Seeds numerous; smooth; brownish; 0.5 mm long; with a straight; short to spatulate dicotyledonous embryo embedded in oily endosperm.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Occurring on exposed mesic to dry cliffs.

Elevation Range: 125–725 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Endemic
Kaua'i Endemic
O'ahu Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Occas. Pap. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Mus. 9(14): 9 (1931)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:478 (Ni, K, O); Matt Keir pers. comm. 2025/St.John 6484 BISH (Ni†, 1949)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On perpendicular wet, rock wall. Preserved_Specimen Bush 2 ft high. St.John, H. 13885 Kauai BISH 1933-12-30
2 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Closely appressed to wet vertical cliff face with Adiantum and Selaginella. Preserved_Specimen Low, much branched, rosette plant, about 1-1/2 ft. high. Flower purple, anther tube pale lavender. Stern, W.L. 1345 Kauai BISH 1961-08-01
3 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Vertical dry, barren, rock face; north facing, receiving only the morning sun; extremely dry Preserved_Specimen Obata, J.K. 84463 Oahu BISH 1984-01-01
4 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wet, windy, steep N. facing slope on exposed rock face. Associated species: Bidens, Hibiscus, Hedyotis, Artemisia infrequent. Preserved_Specimen Shrub, multi-branched, 0.2 m. high. Flower pinkish-red to purple. Gagné, W.C. 570 Kauai BISH 1970-08-30
5 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details mesic forest; Metrosideros, Diospyros, Aleurites, Bobea brevipes, Pouteria sandwicensis, Pleomele aurea, Dodonaea viscosa, Xylosma hawaiiense, Perrottetia sanwicensis, Hedyotis terminalis, Tetraplasandra, Diplazium sandwichianum, Hedyotis acuminata, Psidium guajava, Clusea rosea, Pipturus, Clidemia, Freycinetia, Psydrax odorata; cliffs Preserved_Specimen flower purple Perlman, S. 18667 Kauai BISH 2003-10-24
6 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 2473 Kauai BISH 1972-06-03
7 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Rock ledge Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 9996 Oahu BISH 1929-11-03
8 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details One plant on a rock cliff Preserved_Specimen Flowers uniformly dark reddish purple, except the calyx which is dark green Forbes, C.N. 607 Kauai BISH 1916-10-16
9 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On black lava pali; moist area. Preserved_Specimen Fls lt rose-purple, fuil, and anthers rose-purple; lvs broad, not white below, not revolute. Henrickson, J.S. 3973 Kauai BISH 1969-07-30
10 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Stems to 6 dm. long, contorted. St.John, H. 24961 Kauai BISH 1953-01-03
11 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Small, branching shrub. Herbst, D.R. 5332 Oahu BISH 1975-05-25
12 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 70 Kauai BISH 1909-07-19
13 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Several plants growing on wet cliff. Associated spp. Were Eragrostis variabilis, Euphorbia, Hibiscus saintjohnianum, and possible Hedyotis fluviatilis var. kauiensis. Preserved_Specimen 1-2 ft. tall. Flowers pinkish-purple Davis, J. Kauai BISH 1984-07-20
14 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-01-01
15 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2443 Kauai BISH 1985-06-24
16 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 70 Kauai BISH 1909-07-19
17 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 203 Kauai BISH 1970-05-06
18 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 70 Kauai BISH 1909-07-19
19 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2443 Kauai BISH 1985-06-24
20 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2443 Kauai BISH 1895-06-24
21 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-01-01
22 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-01-01
23 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Telfer, T. Kauai BISH 1984-07-16
24 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1984-07-20
25 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing along rocky almost vertical open, exposed face. Preserved_Specimen Plants stunted; in flower, pinkish, maroon. Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1990-08-19
26 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. Kauai BISH 1895-06-24
27 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details growing along rocky almost vertical open, exposed face. Preserved_Specimen Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1990-08-19
28 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2443 Kauai BISH 1895-06-24
29 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. BISH
30 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen BISH
31 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing on a cliff. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 3063 Kauai BISH 1989-07-11
32 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Close to steep basalt cliff. Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 6484 Niihau BISH 1949-03-29
33 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On cliff above river. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 105 Kauai BISH 1969-04-25
34 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Exposed open face of degenerating basalt; shaded during the afternoons Preserved_Specimen 35 cm tall and 50 cm wide; plant not healthy Obata, J.K. 81440 Oahu BISH 1981-01-01
35 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing on a wet cliff. Preserved_Specimen Corolla uniformally dark reddish purple; calyx dark green. Forbes, C.N. 607 Kauai BISH 1916-10-16
36 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Rock ledge Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 9996 Oahu BISH 1929-11-03
37 Lobelia niihauensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Rock ledge Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 9996 Oahu BISH 1929-11-03
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