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Grona heterophylla

(Willd.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi (2018)

This name is accepted

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

tick clover, tick trefoil

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Potentially naturalizing
Molokai Only found in cultivation
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: J. Jap. Bot. 93: 114 (2018)

Other References

Wagner & Herbst 1995:20 (NEWNAT/Mo? [as Desmodium heterophyllum, cult. at Plant Materials Center, Ho‘olehua], EM, DESCR); Herbst & Wagner 1999:20 (H); Oppenheimer 2003:12 (WM); Ohashi & Ohashi 2018:114 (COMBNOV, Syn. D. heterophyllum = G. heterophylla); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:181 (K); Note: remove Mo? [based on cult. spm.], Apr 2025

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Grona heterophylla East Maui, Hana District, Hana Forest Reserve, Hana Ranch lands, at treeline adjacent to Keakaamanu Eucalyptus robusta treeline with understory of Ardisia elliptica, Psidium guajava, Tibouchina herbacea, Stachytarpheta australis. Preserved_Specimen Imada, C. 200287 Maui BISH 2002-11-18
2 Grona heterophylla Kaupakula to Keanae Abundant along road shoulder. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2918 Maui BISH 1987-08-20
3 Grona heterophylla Kawaihau, Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve, Kuilau Moalepe Trail trailside with Lantana, Dicranopteris, Nephrolepis, Desmodium, Melastoma, Metrosideros, Rhodomyrtus and Thelypteris; shade Preserved_Specimen Mat forming herb, stems to 2', standard cream without, dark-purple within, wings purple, keel faintly purple Flynn, T.W. 6124 Kauai BISH 1997-04-19
4 Grona heterophylla Honopou.Along Lupi road in the Koolau Forest Reserve Common on ditch access road. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2920 Maui BISH 1987-09-02
5 Grona heterophylla East Maui, Hana, Puuhaoa, Wailua to Oheo Gulches Shady, old pasture. Preserved_Specimen to 1.5 m shrub; sprawling to ascending. Oppenheimer, H.L. 120502 Maui BISH 2005-12-04
6 Grona heterophylla W Maui, Lahaina District, Honokahua Growing in lawn at edge of parking lot w. Desmodium triflorum & D. incanum. Preserved_Specimen Prostrate plants. Oppenheimer, H.L. 50104 Maui BISH 2001-05-05
7 Grona heterophylla East Maui, Hana District, Hana Ranch pastureland mauka of Hana Ranch Store Open pastureland with Sporobolus africanus, Digitaria ciliaris, Eragrostis pectinacea, Mimosa pudica, Sida rhombifolia, Chamaesyce prostrata, Elephantopus spicatus. Preserved_Specimen Imada, C. 200274 Maui BISH 2002-11-07
8 Grona heterophylla USDA Plant Materials Center; grass and legume groundcover trial, initial testing field 8A, row 2, plot 11, HA-4704 Preserved_Specimen Dense, soft mat 2-4 tall; stem red, pubescent; lvs medium green above, pubescent below, margin red; petiole red, pubescent. No disease or insect problems noted. Evans, M. 81 Molokai BISH 1990-07-11
9 Grona heterophylla USDA Plant Materials Center; grass and legume groundcover trial, initial testing field 8A; row 2; plot 15; HA-4732; sprigs collected at Palau Airport Preserved_Specimen Vigorous open spreading vine 6-9' tall; lvs yellow to medium green above, slightly pubescent below; spikes 3 long; flrs purple, pealike. No disease or insect problems noted. Evans, M. 84 Molokai BISH 1990-07-11
10 Grona heterophylla Hamakua Dist., Kapulena Preserved_Specimen Prostrate herb with purple flowers. Common. Herbst, D.R. 9791 Hawaii BISH 1996-07-12
11 Grona heterophylla USDA Plant Materials Center; grass and legume groundcover trial; initial testing field 8A; row 2; plot 13; HA-4738; sprigs collected at MacFarms HI Preserved_Specimen Low-growing groundcover; stem red, pubescent; lvs medium green above, pubescent below; flrs white, borne in leaf axils. Evans, M. 83 Molokai BISH 1990-07-11
12 Grona heterophylla Hilo Forestry baseyard. Preserved_Specimen Plants prostrate in lava and cinder, branched but not densely mat-forming. Similar to plants common along road to Hana on Maui. Closely related to D. triflorum but larger, hairier, and with leaves not obcordate. Hobdy, R.W. 3259 Hawaii BISH 1990-10-31
13 Grona heterophylla USDA Plant Materials Center; grass and legume groundcover trial, initial testing field 8A, row 2, plot 13, HA-4738, sprigs collected at MacFarms HI. Elevation 440 feet Preserved_Specimen Low-growing groundcover; stem red, pubescent. Leaves medium green above, pubescent below. Flowers white, borne in leaf axils Evans, M. 83 Molokai BISH 1990-07-11
14 Grona heterophylla USDA Plant Materials Center; grass and legume groundcover trial, initial testing field 8A; row 1; plot 5; HA-4816; sprigs collected at HI Cacao Preserved_Specimen Creeping; dense mat; lvs dull forest green above, light green below. Evans, M. 64 Molokai BISH 1990-07-09
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