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Canavalia napaliensis

H.St.John (1970)

This name is accepted

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

‘āwikiwiki [awikiwiki], puakauhi

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial climbers, branches twining.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets broadly elliptic, broadly ovate, or occasionally elliptic, 6–13 cm long, 3.5–7.5 cm wide. Apex rounded to bluntly acuminate or caudate. Base broadly cuneate or rounded. Upper surfaces sparsely appressed pubescent, sometimes moderately so along veins, lower surface densely appressed pubescent; leaflets chartaceous. Leaflet margins entire. Petiolate. Stipules present, small, caducous. Leaflet stipels present, minute.

Flowers: Flowers 3–16 in axillary pseudoracemes 1–9 cm long. Flowers papilionaceous; bracteoles present, caducous. Calyx 26–33 mm long, densely appressed pubescent, upper edge shallowly concave, upper lip 15–22 mm long, the 2 lobes connate except in the distal 3–4 mm, lowest lobe linear–lanceolate to lanceolate, 6–7 mm long. Calyx bilabiate, 5-lobed, the upper lip large and with 2 lobes connate along the upper margin, the lower lip trifid. Corolla dark purple, standard with a white spot toward base, 36–39 mm long, wing petals 37–45 mm long, keel petals 40–43 mm long. Stamens 10; upper stamen distinct at base, loosely adhering to the other 9 up to middle, the other 9 connate into a tube. Ovary superior, stipitate; ovules 5–20; style incurved, glabrous; stigma small, terminal.

Fruit: Pods compressed; 14– 20 cm long; 3–3.8 cm wide; densely silky appressed pubescent; less so in old pods; each valve with a longitudinal sutural ridge and an additional longitudinal ridge 0.5– 1.7 mm below the upper suture. Seeds reddish brown; oblong–elliptic; strongly compressed; 20–24 mm long; 14–16 mm wide; the hilum 12–14 mm long. Seeds transversely arranged; ellipsoid; hilum elongated; oblong; with a small; papery; persistent rim–aril.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Apparently rare in open; dry sites and diverse mesic forest.

Elevation Range: 5–760 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Endemic
Kaua'i Endemic
O'ahu Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • 5-760 m
  • Description digitized by McKenna Bonn-Savage
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • rare, possibly of hybid origin

Bibliography

Name Published In: Israel J. Bot. 19: 168 (1970)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:654 (K); Thomas, Magnacca, et al. 2025:241 (Ni [C. pubescens re-IDed as C. napaliensis])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Robinson, K.D. 5 Kauai BISH 1971-01-01
2 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 56 Kauai BISH 1909-07-17
3 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1984-07-20
4 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1984-07-20
5 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-01-01
6 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Davis, J. Kauai BISH 1984-07-16
7 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Kauai BISH 1936-08-21
8 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Open moist forest, climbing over trees. Preserved_Specimen Flowers magenta. St.John, H. 23163 Kauai BISH 1948-01-01
9 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Diospyros mixed mesic foret w/ Acacia koa, Metrosideros polymorpha var. glaberrima Myrsine lanaiensis, Polyscias waimeae, Kokia kauaiensis, Kadua affinis, K. knudsenii, Euphorbia haeleeleana, Nestegis sandwicensis, Pipturus alb Preserved_Specimen Vine, climbing in Kadua affinis, 10 m long, leaves dark green, tan-white pubescence, with purple flowers and fruit pods dark brown, ca. 5 large vines scattered in gulch region. Wood, K.R. 16112 Kauai BISH 2014-09-25
10 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 2821 Kauai BISH 1972-10-07
11 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 24963 Kauai BISH 1953-01-03
12 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-01-01
13 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Long vine forming thicket on basalt ledge. Preserved_Specimen Long vine (5-10m). Flowers madder, pod black. St.John, H. 23637 Niihau BISH 1949-04-01
14 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Acacia-Diospyros mesic forest w/ Alphitonia ponderosa, Claoxylon sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Myrsine lanaiensis, Chrysodracon aurea, Polyscias kavaiensis, Planchonella sandwicensis, Bobea brevipes, Melicope ovata, M. barbiger Preserved_Specimen Vine, scandent in surrounding trees and vegetation, single plant, in flower, purple, mapped. Wood, K.R. 17437 Kauai BISH 2017-06-15
15 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Plumbago zeylanica, Lantana, Thevetia peruviana, Syzygium cumini, Canavalia cathartica, Morinda citrifolia, Citrus, Nicotiana tabacum, Tecoma capensis, Psidium guajava, Melia azedarach Preserved_Specimen Vine on Lantana and other plants. Flowers dark purple. Pods and underside of leaves with shore silver hairs Tangalin, N. 2865 Kauai BISH 2011-10-20
16 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Shrubby hillside, vine trailing over low shrubs. Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 233 Kauai BISH 1977-07-02
17 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing in full sun near trail climbing in guava and Canthium trees. Preserved_Specimen Vine. No flowers or fruit present. Corn, C. 175 Kauai BISH 1980-04-09
18 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Grassy hillside near forest, on dead vines over trees and shrubs. Dryland forest, with Lantana, guava, Antidesma, Pisonia, Metrosideros. Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 19 Kauai BISH 1976-06-29
19 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details 20-90% open fernland, moderate to steep mesic ridges and slopes; Dicranopteris, Diplopterygium, Pteridium aquilinum, Cibotium nealiae, Nephrolepis exaltata, Sphenomeris chinensis, Doodia kunthiana, Lycopodiella cernua; 5-30% cover on native shrubs and trees; Santalum, Scaevola Preserved_Specimen vine, scandent up Metrosideros 7 m; early flower, fruit Wood, K.R. 12486 Kauai BISH 2007-08-09
20 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Mesic Diospyros-Psydrax relic forest with Psychotria mariniana, Metrosideros polymorpha, Wikstroemia oahuensis, Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Psychotria mariniana. Preserved_Specimen Vine, occasional along trail, in flower, corolla purple, also seen at 0434486-2442540. Wood, K.R. 18247 Kauai BISH 2019-07-18
21 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing in Aleurites moluccana - Psidium guajava grove with Canthium and Coffea understory, near streambed. Preserved_Specimen Large vine. Flowers purple and white. Corn, C. 300 Kauai BISH 1979-07-16
22 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Long vine forming thicket on basalt ledge. Preserved_Specimen Long vine (5-10m). Flowers madder, pod black. St.John, H. 23637 Niihau BISH 1949-04-01
23 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details small patches of Diospyros sandwicensis forest with occasional Metrosideros polymorpha, Coprosma waimeae, Psychotria greenwelliae, Zanthoxylum dipetalum, Psydrax odorata, Pouteria sandwicensis, Nestegis sandwicensis, Pleomele aurea, Pisonia sp., Syzygium sandwicensis, gulch is mostly dominated by secondary invasive species Preserved_Specimen vine, climbing in shrubs near colfluence of 2 side gulches, stems green or tan-brown, leaves light to medium green, corolla purple, standard with streaks of tan-yellow along center, stamens yellow-white, calyx dark green, pods dark brown, uncommon Wood, K.R. 14227 Kauai BISH 2010-06-01
24 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Sprawling over Lantana and Dodonaea. Preserved_Specimen Hundreds of flowers. Christensen, C. 19 Kauai BISH 1976-06-29
25 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Open moist forest, climbing over trees. Preserved_Specimen Flowers magenta. St.John, H. 23163 Kauai BISH 1948-01-01
26 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Acacia mixed mesic forest w/ Alphitonia ponderosa, Diospyros sandwicensis, Chrysodraon aurea, Psychotria mariniana, Dodonaea viscosa, Wikstroemia furcata, Planchonella sandwicensis, Pittosporum kauaiensis, Dryopteris glabra, Preserved_Specimen Vine, scandent in surrounding vegetation, with Euphorbia haeleeleana, with seed, uncommon, ca., 3-5 vines. Wood, K.R. 16293 Kauai BISH 2015-02-05
27 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Climbing on trees St.John, H. 26740 Kauai BISH 1968-04-17
28 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In Diospyros forest and Pandanus-Aleurites forest with Pritchardia napaliensis, Rauvolfia, Ochrosia kauaiensis, Psydrax, Psidium guajava, Cordyline, Oplismenus, Pisonia, Nephrolepis, Lantana, Pluchea, Munroidendron racemosum, Psychotria, Alyxia, Pleomele, and S Preserved_Specimen Vines, with flowers and fruit, flowers purple. Scattered plants, occasional on steep slopes in open, disturbed areas. Perlman, S. 15319 Kauai BISH 1996-04-10
29 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry sand forest, climbing over guava bushes. Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 47 Kauai BISH 1976-08-23
30 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In thicket Preserved_Specimen Vine climbing as much as 7 m over trees. St.John, H. 26663 Kauai BISH 1965-04-22
31 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Diospyros-Acacia-Metrosideros montane mesic forest w/Diospyros sandwicensis, D. hillebrandii, Alphitonia ponderosa, Pisonia sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Chrysodracon aurea, Psychotria mariniana, Kadua affinis, Coprosmane waimeae, C. foliosa, Myrsine Preserved_Specimen Vine, with flower and some fruit, corolla purple with white streak, many plants(ca.20) around surrounding slope Wood, K.R. 16475 Kauai BISH 2015-06-08
32 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Climbing on trees St.John, H. 26740 Kauai BISH 1968-04-17
33 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 24963 Kauai BISH 1953-01-03
34 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Scandant vine, branching; stems light green or red-green; in fruit. Wood, K.R. 5783 Kauai BISH 1996-11-08
35 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 1 Kauai BISH 1976-05-08
36 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Climbing on trees St.John, H. 26740 Kauai BISH 1968-04-17
37 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Pink to Purple Fl.; 7-8 per inflorescence Shigematsu, K. 162 Oahu BISH 1997-04-23
38 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2 Kauai BISH 1968-10-01
39 Canavalia napaliensis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2 Kauai BISH 1968-10-01
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