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Blakella citriodora

(Hook.) Crisp & L.G.Cook (2024)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Myrtales Family: Myrtaceae Genus: Blakella

lemon-scented gum

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees 25–40 m tall.

Stems: Bark white or sometimes pink, red or bluish gray, powdery, smooth throughout.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Adult Alternate. Blades lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, 8–16 cm long, 0.5–2 cm wide. Apex acuminate. Surfaces concolorous; blade strongly lemon–scented. Margins entire. Petioles 13–20 mm long. Stipules vestigial or absent.

Flowers: Flowers 3 in umbels arranged in terminal, compound inflorescences, peduncles 3–7 mm long, pedicels 1–6 mm long. buds clavate, 8–10 mm long, 4–5 mm wide; operculum hemispherical. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic. Calyx modified into an operculum; operculum rounded to conical or slightly beaked. Stamens numerous, in several whorls; anthers dithecal. Ovary inferior; ovules with axile placentation.

Fruit: Fruit ovoid to urceolate; often warty; 7–15 mm long; 7–11 mm wide; valves included.

Ploidy: 2n = 20; 22; 28

Habitat: Planted on Kaua'i; O'ahu; Moloka'i; Maui; and Hawai'i; and at least regenerating from seed in these areas.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Only found in cultivation
Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Molokai Naturalized
Maui Potentially naturalizing
Hawai'i Unknown

Dispersal Agents

Forestry

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: J. Syst. Evol. 62(5): 959 (2024)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:952 (K, O, Mo, M, H [as Eucalyptus citriodora]); Hill & Johnson 1995:388/Herbst & Wagner 1999:24 (COMBNOV, Syn. E. citriodora = Corymbia citriodora); Staples & Herbst 2005:420 (KEY [as E. citriodora]), 421 (DESCR); Crisp et al. 2024:959 (Syn. C. citriodora = B. citriodora)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Blakella citriodora Parker Ranch, Waimea, Waikii Preserved_Specimen Reddish on stem. Munro, G.C. 21 Hawaii BISH 1937-02-19
2 Blakella citriodora Koloa District, Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai Valley; New Headquarters at end of Papalina Road, W. side of Lawai Valley Preserved_Specimen Tree 7 m tall (reaching 15 m.) , trunk 30-40 cm. in diam., bark smooth, pale gray. Plant strongly lemon scented. Flowers with yoghurt-like odor, stamens white. Juvenile foliage and sucker leaves heterophyllous. Planted, locally spontaneous. Lorence, D.H. 5713 Kauai BISH 1987-09-18
3 Blakella citriodora Koloa District, Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai Valley; New Headquarters at end of Papalina Road, W. side of Lawai Valley Preserved_Specimen Tree 7 m tall (reaching 15 m.) , trunk 30-40 cm. in diam., bark smooth, pale gray. Plant strongly lemon scented. Flowers with yoghurt-like odor, stamens white. Juvenile foliage and sucker leaves heterophyllous. Planted, locally spontaneous. Lorence, D.H. 5713 Kauai BISH 1987-09-18
4 Blakella citriodora Honolulu; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus; Sherman Laboratory Preserved_Specimen A slender tree 9 m tall with a bunchy, irregular crown. Ultimate branches drooping. Stamens white. Flowers slightly fragrant (afternoon). Bark smooth, grey; flakes off in patches to expose a whitish new bark. Lau, J. 1892 Oahu BISH 1986-01-21
5 Blakella citriodora Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 620518002 Oahu BISH 1962-05-18
6 Blakella citriodora Paniau Preserved_Specimen Planted tree, 10 m 4 dm. lvs dark green; fl. white. St.John, H. 23587 Niihau BISH 1949-03-30
7 Blakella citriodora ahupuaa of Halepuaa Forest Reserve in the Puna District. In the US Forest Service Site 1 Experimental Planting Area Planted in the Experimental planting area. Preserved_Specimen ESP Field Crew Hawaii BISH 1979-10-11
8 Blakella citriodora Kalaupapa National Historical Park Preserved_Specimen Large perennial tree Wysong, M.L. 551 Molokai BISH 2005-01-04
9 Blakella citriodora Planted tree on the grounds of the Kauai Museum in Lihue town Preserved_Specimen Large tree to 90 ft. Leaves giving off a citrus-like smell. Bark smooth and deciduous throughout. Spence, G. 420 Kauai BISH 1976-11-03
10 Blakella citriodora Parker ranch, Waimea, Waikii (Waiki) Preserved_Specimen Reddish on stem. Munro, G.C. 20 Hawaii BISH 1937-02-19
11 Blakella citriodora Honolulu, Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Rankin, P. Oahu BISH 1938-02-19
12 Blakella citriodora Honolulu, Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Rankin, P. Oahu BISH 1938-02-19
13 Blakella citriodora Waimea Preserved_Specimen Large tree 100ft, 2ft diam. Little Jr., E.L. 31088 Hawaii BISH 1976-08-18
14 Blakella citriodora Honolulu: Mountains back of Hawaii Kai Preserved_Specimen Lied, D. Oahu BISH 1965-03-18
15 Blakella citriodora ahupuaa of Halepuaa Forest Reserve in the Puna District Preserved_Specimen ESP Field Crew Hawaii BISH 1979-10-11
16 Blakella citriodora Honolulu, Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Rankin, P. Oahu BISH 1938-02-19
17 Blakella citriodora Kapapala, Kau Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1927-01-01
18 Blakella citriodora Wahiawa Preserved_Specimen Korte, K.H. Oahu BISH 1944-07-10
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