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Thunbergia grandiflora

Roxb. (1820)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Lamiales Family: Acanthaceae Genus: Thunbergia

bengal trumpet, bengal trumpet vine, blue trumpet vine, large-flowered thunbergia, trumpet vine

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Lianas.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite and decussate (pairs of leaves alternating 90 degrees between nodes). Blades hastate–ovate, (8–)11–22 cm long, 3–15 cm wide. Surfaces pubescent. Margins with widely spaced triangular, acute to rounded teeth. Petioles 1-7 cm, grooved, pubescent. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers often in pendant inflorescences. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Each subtended by ovate bracts 25–40 mm long. Calyx reduced to a truncate, ring-like structure. Corolla 5-lobed, showy, blue or white, 5–7.5 cm long. Stamens 4, in pairs, inserted on the corolla alternate with the lobes, sometimes 1 or more reduced to staminodes; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate; ovule placentation axile; style filiform, simple.

Fruit: Capsules with two cells; usually dehiscing explosively; subglobose; with a conspicuous sterile beak 1–2 cm long. Seeds not on a modified funiculus that ejects the seeds from the capsule.

Ploidy: 2n = 56

Habitat: Sparingly adventive along hiking trails or margins of urban areas.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Notes

  • Description digitized by Pumehana Imada
  • Native to India; in Hawai‘i cultivated

Bibliography

Name Published In: Bot. Reg. 6: 6 (1820)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:175 (K, O, H); Starr et al. 2002:16 (EM); Staples & Herbst 2005:93 (KEY), 94 (DESCR)

Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., & Sohmer, S. H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, Vols. 1 and 2 (No. Edn 2). University of Hawai'i and Bishop Museum Press.

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Thunbergia grandiflora Honolulu, Foster Botanic Garden Intertwined in shrubbery in full sun. Preserved_Specimen Corolla white with the exception of inner corolla tube which is cream. Flower odorless (morning). Lau, J. 1399 Oahu BISH 1985-09-08
2 Thunbergia grandiflora Koloa District, Lawai Valley, Allerton Garden, Lawai Kai, from Jungle Garden area Near coast. Preserved_Specimen Large vine growing in bougainvillea, lvs drk grn above paler beneath; corolla pale violet, tube pale yellow w/in; flowers faintly fragrant (11am), bracts pale grn, base purplish. Lorence, D.H. 7456 Kauai BISH 1994-05-16
3 Thunbergia grandiflora East Maui, Makawao, near Maliko Gulch, in abandoned yard behind Hui Noeau pottery shed Plants climbing into canopy of mature trees. Sparingly naturalized. Preserved_Specimen Starr, F. 980408130 Maui BISH 1998-04-08
4 Thunbergia grandiflora Manoa Falls Trail, 200 m up from start wet forest, stream bank; with Albizia, Ficus Preserved_Specimen liana, flowers blue Ray, G. 7 Oahu BISH 1997-05-31
5 Thunbergia grandiflora Along Manoa Falls Trail, below Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Vine, liana, w/blue flowers. Herbst, D.R. 5356 Oahu BISH 1975-06-12
6 Thunbergia grandiflora South Hilo District, near Papaikou; Mamalahoa Hwy Growing on steep roadcut of highway. Preserved_Specimen Vine; flowers white. Cuddihy, L.W. 2089 Hawaii BISH 1987-10-11
7 Thunbergia grandiflora University of Hawaii campus, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 620530008 Oahu BISH 1962-05-30
8 Thunbergia grandiflora Honolulu, Kapalama, in Kamehameha Girls' School Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Vigorous vine, corolla white. Rankin, P. 2 Oahu BISH 1939-05-02
9 Thunbergia grandiflora Koloa District, Lawai Valley. the Allerton Estate at Lawai-Kai Preserved_Specimen Scrambling vine; leaves dark mat green with pale green midvein, below pale green; stem pale green; calyx very pale green, corolla lobes very pale lilac w/pale yellow throat; young calyx & pedicel gland dotted; not fragrant (9 a.m.). Flynn, T.W. 5598 Kauai BISH 1994-08-15
10 Thunbergia grandiflora Along rd 0.6 mi from end of Hwy 56, near Limahuli Garden Preserved_Specimen Corolla white. Wagner, W.L. 5163 Kauai BISH 1983-12-21
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