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Delonix regia

(Bojer ex Hook.) Raf. (1837)

This name is accepted

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

‘ohai ‘ula [ohai ula], flamboyant, flame tree, royal poinciana

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees 5–10(–15) m tall, with a broad sprawling crown, bark grayish, smooth.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets numerous, opposite, elliptic, with 11–20(–25) pairs of pinnae, leaflets 10–25 pairs per pinna. Leaflet margins entire. Petiolate, without glands on petioles and rachises, the rachis with pubescent projections between the pinnae. Stipules pinnate with 4–5 segments.

Flowers: Flowers in rather short racemes from the axils of fallen leaves, often crowded toward the ends of young branches and appearing to form terminal panicles, bracts small, caducous. Flowers large, showy, caesalpinaceous, 8–15 cm in diameter, pedicels articulated; bracteoles absent. Calyx of 5 sepals, valvate, yellowish externally, red within. Corolla of 5 petals, long-clawed, crimson or scarlet, but one smaller and yellow with red blotches, 4–7 cm long. Stamens 10, exserted; filaments distinct, alternately slightly shorter and longer, pubescent. Ovary superior; short–stipitate; ovules numerous.

Fruit: Pods large; compressed; septate; oblong; flat; 20–70 cm long; 3–7 cm wide; dehiscent after falling to the ground. Seeds 18–45; transversely arranged; yellow or dark brown; subcylindrical; 20–25 mm long; 6–8 mm in diameter.

Ploidy: 2n = 24; 28

Habitat: Dry to mesic; disturbed sites.

Elevation Range: Low elevations.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Only found in cultivation

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Only found in cultivation
Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Molokai Unknown
Maui Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents

Wind

Pollinators

Notes

  • Description digitized by Dylan Charter
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • no collections that document its occurrence have been seen. Introduced to Hawai'i about 1855, probably by W.Hillebrand (Rock, l9l7a).

Bibliography

Name Published In: Fl. Tellur. 2: 92 (1837)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:664 (Mo? [undocumented by spms.]); Staples & Herbst 2005:298 (KEY), 314 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Delonix regia Koloa, Lawai Valley, National Tropical Botanical Garden Preserved_Specimen Young trees to 3 m, crown spreading. Calyx lobes orange without, deep red within. Petals red, standard red with white and yellow markings Lorence, D.H. 7205 Kauai BISH 1992-05-25
2 Delonix regia U.H. Manoa campus; #42 on map Preserved_Specimen medium-sized tree with gnarled trunk and branches; flowers bright red-orange. Herbst, D.R. 544 Oahu BISH 1967-08-26
3 Delonix regia U.H. grounds Preserved_Specimen Duvel, A. 24 Oahu BISH 1924-09-17
4 Delonix regia Oahu Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 10010 Oahu BISH 1929-11-06
5 Delonix regia Kalihi St., Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Grant, M.L. 7113 Oahu BISH 1934-07-18
6 Delonix regia Kalihi St., Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Grant, M.L. 7113 Oahu BISH 1934-07-18
7 Delonix regia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2526 Oahu BISH 1910-08-01
8 Delonix regia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2526 Oahu BISH 1910-08-01
9 Delonix regia East Maui, Hana District, Poponui Cultivated. Preserved_Specimen Trees, flowers bright orange red; many seedlings and saplings to 2 m. tall in immediate area. Oppenheimer, H.L. 50734 Maui BISH 2007-05-28
10 Delonix regia Oahu Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 10010 Oahu BISH 1929-11-06
11 Delonix regia East Maui, Hana District, Poponui Cultivated. Preserved_Specimen Trees, flowers bright orange red; many seedlings and saplings to 2 m. tall in immediate area. Oppenheimer, H.L. 50734 Maui BISH 2007-05-28
12 Delonix regia Waikiki, Honolulu garden Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.J. Oahu BISH 1932-07-20
13 Delonix regia Honolulu: Niu Valley area; 5863 Mahimahi St In yard. Preserved_Specimen Tree ca 10 ft. tall with spreading crown; flws fragrant, clear bright yellow, the banner pet with white splotch in center. Boyd, T. Oahu BISH 1992-06-10
14 Delonix regia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen spreading, flat topped tree; flowers scarlet, standard white or yellow mottled with red. Fosberg, F.R. 14200 Oahu BISH 1937-07-08
15 Delonix regia Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus; # 42 on map Preserved_Specimen medium-sized tree with gnarled trunk and branches; flowers bright red-orange. Herbst, D.R. 544 Oahu BISH 1967-08-26
16 Delonix regia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen spreading, flat topped tree; flowers scarlet, standard white or yellow mottled with red. Fosberg, F.R. 14200 Oahu BISH 1937-07-08
17 Delonix regia Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu, Holding Area Preserved_Specimen 3' dbh. Ht. 35'. Flowers red Nagata, K.M. 267 Oahu BISH 1967-07-14
18 Delonix regia Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2582 Oahu BISH 1910-08-01
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