Cuphea ignea

A.DC. (1849)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Myrtales Family: Lythraceae Genus: Cuphea

cigar flower, firecracker plant, pua kīkā [pua kika]

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Spreading shrubs.

Stems: Stems 3–5 dm long, many-branched, subglabrous.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate or elliptic, 20–45 mm long, 5–12 mm wide. Apex acuminate. Base narrowly cuneate. Surfaces finely scabrous. Margins entire. Petioles 1–7 mm long. Stipules minute or absent.

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the leaf axils, pedicels 5–10 mm long. Calyx teeth 6, spreading, the lower ones slightly longer, usually with small appendages alternating with the teeth, valvate, appearing as lobes on the floral tube. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens 6–14, conspicuously exserted unevenly 2–4 mm beyond the floral tube; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 2–4(–6)-carpellate, with as many cells, at least at base, rarely 1-celled, placentation axile, rarely parietal when 1-celled; ovules 2 to numerous, anatropous, ascending; style 1, filiform; stigma slightly 2-lobed.

Fruit: Capsules membranous; oblong–ovoid; loculicidally dehiscent laterally; the adjacent wall of the floral tube also splitting along its length and the placenta projecting laterally out of the capsules; 8–10 mm long. Seeds (1) to numerous; reddish brown; suborbicular; ca. 2 mm in diameter; endosperm absent or very scanty.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Other Animals

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Fl. Serres Jard. Eur. 5: 500 C (1849)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:866 (H); Staples & Herbst 2005:373 (KEY), 374 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Honolulu, 908 Kamilonui Rd potted in full sun PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Lau, J. 1849 Oahu BISH 1/13/1986
2 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Honolulu: Manoa Valley; Lyon Arboretum; Harrison Area open shade PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Nagata, K.M. 1277 Oahu BISH 8/26/1975
3 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Punaluu moist PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Mackelprang, J. 617 Oahu BISH 4/1/1977
4 Cuphea ignea A.DC. honolulu, 3115 kaloaluiki garden; filtered light PRESERVED_SPECIMEN staples, g.w. kadowaki, a. collector number: 590 Oahu BISH 4/14/1990
5 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Honokaa, Kohala small open gulch above sugar cane planting PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Degener, O. 9665 Hawaii BISH 7/28/1926
6 Cuphea ignea A.DC. honolulu, 3115 kaloaluiki PRESERVED_SPECIMEN kadowaki, a. Oahu BISH 3/3/1990
7 Cuphea ignea A.DC. volcano road PRESERVED_SPECIMEN forbes, c.n. collector number: 1043.h Hawaii BISH 7/2/1915
8 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Volcano Road PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Forbes, C.N. 1043.H Hawaii BISH 7/2/1915
9 Cuphea ignea A.DC. honokanemui valley Wet forest PRESERVED_SPECIMEN degener, o. greenwell, a. collector number: 21914 Kauai BISH 2/18/1952
10 Cuphea ignea A.DC. honokaa, kohala small open gulch above sugar cane planting PRESERVED_SPECIMEN degener, o. collector number: 9665 Hawaii BISH 7/28/1926
11 Cuphea ignea A.DC. honolulu, 908 kamilonui rd potted in full sun PRESERVED_SPECIMEN lau, j. collector number: 1849 Oahu BISH 1/13/1986
12 Cuphea ignea A.DC. punaluu Potted plant. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN mackelprang, j. collector number: 617 Oahu BISH 4/1/1977
13 Cuphea ignea A.DC. olaa, winsley garden PRESERVED_SPECIMEN fosberg, f.r. collector number: 10062 BISH 8/28/1933
14 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Laie PRESERVED_SPECIMEN McEldowney, G. A. s.n. Oahu US 10/5/1931
15 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Laie PRESERVED_SPECIMEN McEldowney, G.A. s.n. Oahu BISH 10/5/1931
16 Cuphea ignea A.DC. honolulu: manoa valley; lyon arboretum; harrison area open shade PRESERVED_SPECIMEN nagata, k.m. collector number: 1277 Oahu BISH 8/26/1975
17 Cuphea ignea A.DC. On trail part way down cliff in rock crevices on cliff. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN otto degener 9665 RSA 7/28/1926
18 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Vicinity of Glenwood PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Hitchcock, A. S. 14601 Hawaii US 9/7/2016
19 Cuphea ignea A.DC. vicinity of glenwood PRESERVED_SPECIMEN a. s. hitchcock 14601 Hawaii US 9/7/1916
20 Cuphea ignea A.DC. laie PRESERVED_SPECIMEN g. mceldowney s.n. Oahu US 10/5/1931
21 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Honolulu, 3115 Kaloaluiki PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Kadowaki, A. s.n. Oahu BISH 3/3/1990
22 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Honokanemui Valley wet sunny banks of trail PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Degener, O. 21914 Hawaii BISH 2/18/1952
23 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Olaa, Winsley garden PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Fosberg, F.R. 10062 Hawaii BISH 8/28/1933
24 Cuphea ignea A.DC. laie PRESERVED_SPECIMEN mceldowney, g.a. Oahu BISH 10/5/1931
25 Cuphea ignea A.DC. Honolulu, 3115 Kaloaluiki garden; filtered light PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Staples, G. 590 Oahu BISH 4/14/1990