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Ardisia elliptica

Thunb. (1789)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Ericales Family: Primulaceae Genus: Ardisia

duck's-eyes, ink berry, inkberry, shoebutton ardisia

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Branched shrubs up to 4 m tall.

Stems: Stems glabrous, flowering branches 10–20 cm long, leaves scattered along upper ½.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades obovate or oblanceolate, 6–9 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide. Apex obtuse or broadly acute. Base cuneate and decurrent on the petiole. Surfaces with punctate glands or secretory canals. Margins entire. Lateral veins numerous, not merging into a definite marginal vein except in lower part of leaf. Petioles 4–8 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences axillary, umbellate to racemose, peduncles 1.5–3 cm long. Flowers small, usually bisexual (perfect); pedicels ca. 1 cm long. Calyx (4)5(6)-lobed, usually deeply so, glandular punctate, suborbicular, ca. 2 mm long, the surface black punctate, margins hyaline and ciliolate, the lobes dextrorsely imbricate in bud. Corolla (4)5(6)-lobed, usually deeply so, lobes pale lavender, lanceolate, conspicuously punctate, the lobes dextrorsely and narrowly imbricate. Stamens distinct or adnate to corolla near base, opposite the petals; anthers dithe.cal, introrse. Ovary superior; ovules 3–12 arranged in several rows; style slender, elongate; stigma slender, elongate, apiculate.

Fruit: Drupes red when immature; black at maturity; globose; ca. 5 mm in diameter; densely punctate; endocarp crustaceous. Seeds 1 per fruit; subglobose.

Ploidy: 2n = 46; 48

Habitat: Disturbed hala forest; mesic forest; and lower portions of wet forest.

Elevation Range: 5–550 m.

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

Birds

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Nov. Gen. Pl.: 119 (1789)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:932 (K, O, EM, H); Meidell et al. 1998:7 (WM); Staples & Herbst 2005:416 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Ardisia elliptica Kahana Valley pasture Preserved_Specimen shrub to 2 m; fruit red turning black Annable, C.R. 3096 Oahu BISH 1996-10-30
2 Ardisia elliptica Waiahole Valley; road to Waiahole Ditch Trail In wet forest of exotic trees. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 5 m tall, frt fleshy, black. Fosberg, F.R. 59476 Oahu BISH 1980-03-01
3 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Hana District, Hana, near Hana Airport Along main road. Preserved_Specimen Plants 1 to 20' high; berries orange, pink. Williamson, E. Maui BISH 1961-12-02
4 Ardisia elliptica Koolau Mts.; Pupukea, along summit trail Several Pritchardia stands observed. Preserved_Specimen Fruits pink to purple. Stone, B.C. 2790 Oahu BISH 1959-05-04
5 Ardisia elliptica Just E of Kalihi Wai Reservoir Heavy infestation; looks like wind-rows of tall Ardisia underneath Cecropia trees w/smaller fruiting trees scattered throughout area between rows. Ardisia humilis also seen at Puu Ka Ele Reservoir. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. 826 Kauai BISH 1982-04-29
6 Ardisia elliptica Koolauloa District: Waiahole Forest Reserve, Hidden Valley, above Kaaawa, between Kahana and Maakua and below Puumanamana Wet lowland windward Forest. Metrosideros, Hibiscus arnottianus subsp. punaluuensis, Cyrtandra propinqua, C. hawaiensis, C. calpidicarpa, Thuidium cymbifolium, Peperomia oahuensis, P. membranacea, Adiantum raddianum, Adenostema Preserved_Specimen Shrubs and small trees up to 7 ft tall. Berries shiny bright red, apex indented. Peduncles green, red at nodes, leaves bright green, petioles reddish Common on higher upper slopes of valley. Tangalin, N. 3761 Oahu BISH 2014-04-17
7 Ardisia elliptica Hanalei Dist.; Kalihi Wai River valley, ca. 0.5 mile SW of Hwy 56 near first waterfall Old secondary vegetation along flood plain with Hibiscus tiliaceus, Psidium & Syzygium. Locally common. Preserved_Specimen Treelet 2-3 mtall x 3 cm dbh; petioles red; ripe frt purple-black. Lorence, D.H. 5147 Kauai BISH 1987-04-05
8 Ardisia elliptica Waimea Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m tall; corollas pink; frt purple. Miller, J.S. 7868 Oahu BISH 1992-07-31
9 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Hana District, Hawaii (Hwy. ?) 36 between Hana & Kahului vicinity of Puohokamoa Rare on hillside abobe pool. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 7' tall; calyx greenish white; corolla pink; anthers green w/purple spots; style white. Crosby, M.R. 1798 Maui BISH 1964-07-17
10 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; Manoa; HSPA Plantation Preserved_Specimen 5' tall. Grant, M.L. 7519 Oahu BISH 1934-10-29
11 Ardisia elliptica Pupukea-Black Jct., Trail Established at ca. 12 places along trail, spreading in close formation by seedlings. Preserved_Specimen Height 1.5 m Egler, F.E. 3724 Oahu BISH 1937-05-31
12 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; Foster Botanic Gardens; behind Kuan Yin Temple Against wall of building. Preserved_Specimen Treelet 12-15' tall, duffusely branching; lvs w/reddish peti blade firm fleshy; frt depressed globose, purple-black when ripe. Said to be reseeding outside Foster property. Staples, G.W. 783 Oahu BISH 1992-02-16
13 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; Kalihi; Kamanaiki Preserved_Specimen Shrub/tree 3 m high; flr white tinted, pink near center; red berry frt. Hume, E.P. 12 Oahu BISH 1930-10-15
14 Ardisia elliptica Waimea Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Shrub 2 m tall; corollas pink. Miller, J.S. 7821 Oahu BISH 1992-07-28
15 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, 2 miles NW of Hana Preserved_Specimen Small tree 20', 3 diam. Little Jr., E.L. 31114 Maui BISH 1976-08-25
16 Ardisia elliptica Kahana Valley; along foot trail across Kahana Stream dam & before grassland Preserved_Specimen Small tree ca. 4' tall, few scattered w/flr buds. Herat, T. 129 Oahu BISH 1972-08-13
17 Ardisia elliptica Koolau Mts.; Pupukea Preserved_Specimen Stone, B.C. 3638 Oahu BISH 1961-09-17
18 Ardisia elliptica Puna District: near Pohoiki Growing w/Schinus & Calophyllum inophyllum. Preserved_Specimen Cuddihy, L.W. 2077 Hawaii BISH 1987-09-20
19 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; Wahiawa Preserved_Specimen Kerr, M. 3.3 Oahu BISH 1945-12-30
20 Ardisia elliptica Punaluu Valley; near valley floor at beginning of Punaluu (Castle) Trail In weedy Acacia koa forest w/Psidium cattleianum, Casuarina, Stachytarpheta. Preserved_Specimen Carlquist, S. 1748 Oahu BISH 1965-07-06
21 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; Lyon Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Young small tree ca. 6'tall; smooth greyish bark; pink flrs; purple fruit. Herbst, D.R. 679 Oahu BISH 1967-10-28
22 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; King Street; Government Nursery Preserved_Specimen Small tree 7 m high branching at ground, stem 25 cm diam.; flr purple. Judd Jr., A.F. 58 Oahu BISH 1927-04-25
23 Ardisia elliptica Maui Preserved_Specimen No flrs; frt present but juvenile. Department of Agriculture and Conservation Maui BISH 1961-07-07
24 Ardisia elliptica Waianae Mts.; Kunia Camp Preserved_Specimen Wuotila, J.L. Oahu BISH 1923-11-01
25 Ardisia elliptica Kaunala Ridge Preserved_Specimen One large tree and 2 smaller ones seen Branam, J. Oahu BISH 1986-07-18
26 Ardisia elliptica Punaluu Preserved_Specimen Shrub ca. 2' high; flr pink; frt depressed, globose, acidic, blackish.. Judd Jr., A.F. 64 Oahu BISH 1926-12-31
27 Ardisia elliptica Haleiwa; Waimea Arboretum Preserved_Specimen Shrub; new lvs emerge tan (not pink-red as in other Ardisia spp.); frt black at maturity. Orr, D. 77621 Oahu BISH 1992-10-28
28 Ardisia elliptica unknown Preserved_Specimen (Not on sheet) BISH
29 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Hana to Olinda road Preserved_Specimen Topping, D.L. 9616 Maui BISH 1927-08-01
30 Ardisia elliptica Preserved_Specimen Cultivated Neal, M.C. BISH
31 Ardisia elliptica Waiahole-Waikane Trail Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. 958 Oahu BISH 1937-11-14
32 Ardisia elliptica Mrs Foster's premises Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12672 Oahu BISH
33 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Kaapahu along Donkey Trail Preserved_Specimen Welton, P. 2333 Maui BISH 2013-01-10
34 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu: Foster Gardens Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1946-12-01
35 Ardisia elliptica Trail and (?) Club Hike Preserved_Specimen Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1945-12-30
36 Ardisia elliptica Board of Agriculture Forest Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12761 Oahu BISH
37 Ardisia elliptica Kapalama Hts; Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1932-06-06
38 Ardisia elliptica Koolau Mts.; windward side, Waiahole Valley, along jeep road just beyond cabin Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5648 Oahu BISH 1986-04-05
39 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Hana District, Kalahu Point, PTBG Kahanu Garden Very common in Pandanus forest w/Mucuna & Psidium. Preserved_Specimen Treelet of 10'; petals whitish-pink; immature frt pink, turning deep purple almost black; new lvs bronze colored. Flynn, T.W. 2431 Maui BISH 1987-10-15
40 Ardisia elliptica Jeep road to Kanaele Swamp (Wahiawa Bog) between bog & Alexander Reservoir Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5191 Kauai BISH 1983-12-22
41 Ardisia elliptica Kahaluu Occasional on ohia-uluhe hillside. Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 2935 Oahu BISH 1986-10-25
42 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu, Manoa Cliff Trail. Disturbed, wet forest. With Bischofia javanica, Cordyline fruticosa, Schinus terebinthifolia, Psidium cattleianum. Preserved_Specimen Kennedy, B. 69 Oahu BISH 2018-08-09
43 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Moku Huki, islet off N Coast ridge; Sphenomeris chinensis, Sadleria pallida, Phymatosorus grossus, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, Scaevola sericea, Pandanus tectorius, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Carex wahuensis, Cyperus phleoides, Cyperus polystachyos Preserved_Specimen 2 m tree; stems brown with red tinge; leaves medium green, petiole red tinge; fruit purple black; corolla cream green, purple tinge Wood, K.R. 11196 Maui BISH 2005-04-06
44 Ardisia elliptica W Maui, on a broad ridge between Honolua & Honokahua Valleys, Site is within 1/2 mile of an area of known historic cultivation of this taxa Alien dominated forest. Preserved_Specimen Meidell, J.S. 203 Maui BISH 1997-07-05
45 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Hana Highway, near Hana Common along Hwy. Preserved_Specimen Large tall shrub or small tree to 7' high; flrs pink. Nagata, K.M. 901 Maui BISH 1971-10-25
46 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Hana, Wakiu By road. Preserved_Specimen 3 m shrub; berries purplish-black. St.John, H. 17823 Maui BISH 1936-12-30
47 Ardisia elliptica Kipapa Trail, just under 3/4 mi from boundary, off trail, S side, E slope of drainage disturbed wet lowland forest; Metrosideros, Acacia, Dicranopteris Preserved_Specimen ~1.75 m tree; flower light pink; fruit globose, red Reynolds, L.S. 183 Oahu BISH 2006-06-28
48 Ardisia elliptica Just east of Kalihiwai Reservoir It looks like windrows of tall Ardisia underneath Cecropia trees with smaller fruiting trees scattered throughout area between rows. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. 826 Kauai BISH 1982-04-29
49 Ardisia elliptica Haleiwa; Waimea Arboretum In partial shade. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 8' tall, trunk 2 dbh; lvs opaque; frt in 1f axils, in subumbellate clusters; light green to maroon. Waimea Arboretum Staff Oahu BISH
50 Ardisia elliptica East Maui, Pulanihale Heiau; N of Hana Abundant, spreading rapidly in thickets on bare or broken basaltic lava, very little soil. Preserved_Specimen Shrub ca 1.5-2 m tall (others larger); ripe frt shining black, fleshy, astringent but otherwise tasteless. Fosberg, F.R. 54709 Maui BISH 1973-04-06
51 Ardisia elliptica Nene Road, beyond Airport, near coast E of Hilo Common on edges of dense scrub-forest dominated by Melastoma Preserved_Specimen Shrubs 1.5-2 m tall; frt black, fleshy, depressed globose. Fosberg, F.R. 55659 Hawaii BISH 1975-03-14
52 Ardisia elliptica Honolulu; Foster Botanic Garden In partial shade. Preserved_Specimen Tree 3 m tall; petals rose, grading into purple at base, odorless; young frt pink, turning red & finally blackish-purple. Lau, J. 1411 Oahu BISH 1985-09-10
53 Ardisia elliptica Oahu Forest NWR, Koa ridge, above Mililani Mauka. Site of October 30, 2023 fire. On ridge, edge of burned area, full sun, moist, formerly dominated by uluhe. Associated; Miconia crenata, Acacia koa, Trema orientale, Falcataria falcata, Dianella sandwicensis, Budleja asiatica, Cecropia obtusifolia, Rubus rosifolius. Preserved_Specimen Berries pink, turning black as it ripens. Arthur, K. 47 Oahu BISH 2025-02-10
54 Ardisia elliptica Keaukaha, end of Nene St Assoc. w/Melastoma, Pluchea, Pandanus & grasses on pahoehoe lava. Preserved_Specimen Small tree to 10', dbh 1.5; lvs glabrous, elliptic-obovate; frts pink, becoming black at maturity on drooping corymbs; globose drupes. Ishikawa, S. 205 Hawaii BISH 1973-01-11
55 Ardisia elliptica Koolau Range; Kapalama Valley Dry forest area. Preserved_Specimen Kuykendall, J.R. 18 Oahu BISH 1942-11-01
56 Ardisia elliptica Hilo-Kokonohu area One plant in edge of forest. Preserved_Specimen Slender tree 3 m tall; frt not quite ripe. Fosberg, F.R. 55617 Hawaii BISH 1974-10-17
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