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Gardenia brighamii

H.Mann (1867)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Gardenia

gardenia, nā‘ū [nau], nānū [nanu]

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Small trees up to ca. 5 m tall.

Stems: Branches quadrangular, brown puberulent, but pubescence obscured by viscid exudate, the vegetative bud strap–shaped, rigid and strongly viscid–resinous, the tips becoming strongly curved and ascending.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite, few, clustered toward the tips of the branches. Blades elliptic to elliptic–ovate, 2.2–10.5 cm long, 1.5–5.5 cm wide. Surfaces puberulent on midrib toward base; lower surfaces dull, glabrous except with pubescent domatia in axils of lateral veins; blades, firm–chartaceous; upper surfaces somewhat viscid, especially when young; domatia usually present in the axils of the lateral veins. Margins entire. Lateral veins 6–11 pairs. Petioles 0.2–0.7 cm long. Stipules connate into a collar 2.5–4 mm long, puberulent at base.

Flowers: Flowers solitary, terminal, flanked by 2 lateral vegetative buds, one of which is later surpassed by the flower, pedicels 3-5 mm long; hypanthium narrowly funnelform, 4-5 mm long, often costate, formed by lower part of calyx and enclosed ovary, apically lined with a shallow nectary disk. Flowers insect-pollinated, bisexual (perfect) or rarely unisexual, often heterostylous, fragrant. Calyx 4–5 lobed with open aestivation, narrowly funnelform, 5–8 mm long, sparsely puberulent, apically produced into 4–5 terminal spurs, these coriaceous, linear to obliquely linear–spatulate, 8–16 mm long and 1.2–2.5 mm wide at anthesis, puberulent. Corolla white, thick, 6(7)-lobed, the tube salverform, 15–20 mm long (when dry), 5-9-lobed, the lobes 8–18 mm long (when dry); nectary disk usually present. Stamens as many as and alternate with the corolla lobes, scarcely exserted; filaments usually inserted on the corolla tube or throat; anthers 5–6 mm long, dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Pollen in tetrads. Ovary inferior, occasionally partly so, or very rarely superior, 1-celled or falsely 2-celled, placentas 2-8, parietal; ovules numerous; style 1, terminal, slender; stigmas connate or 2-lobed, dry or occasionally wet.

Fruit: Fruit green with whitish spots at maturity; subglobose or occasionally broadly ellipsoid; 2.5–3.5 cm in diameter; inconspicuously costate; pulp pale yellow.; terminated by somewhat persistent calyx spurs; pericarp hard; exocarp thin; mesocarp fibrous-coriaceous; endocarp bony; cavity filled with usually orange; yellow; or cream pulp. Seeds straw–colored; 4–5 mm long; finely pitted.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Apparently formerly a dry forest species.

Elevation Range: 350–520 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Cultivated specimens of Gardenia brighamii flower more or less continuously. Wild populations on various island have different flowering and fruiting seasons. On O'ahu and Hawai'i, Gardenia brighamii blooms in the fall and winter, from October through December. The Maui, Moloka'i, and Lana'i populations bloom mostly in the spring, from March through May, with some additional flowering in December and July. John Obata has speculated that flowering may be triggered by rainfall. Gardenia brighamii is self-compatible and viable seed is produced by self-pollination.
  • The 1 to 1 1/2 inch oval to round fruit of Gardenia brighamii is green with whitish spots at maturity. The fruit inside is pale yellow containing straw-colored seeds less than 1/4 inch long. The seeds are difficult to remove from the fruit pulp. Stratton et al recommend ripening the seeds in a plastic bag. This softens the pulp making the seeds easier to clean. After ripening, the fruit flesh can be removed by either placing the fruits in a colander or strainer under running water or breaking up the fruit by hand in a bowl of water.
  • Best germination is obtained with fresh seeds. Koob recommends soaking the seeds overnight in water. Stratton's informants suggest 1 hour in tap water. Plant only the seeds that sink. Soaked seeds may germinate in about 4 to 5 weeks up to 3 months. Lilleeng-Rosenberger documents germination percentages ranging from 42% to 85% for soaked seed.
  • Seeds should be sown in a well drained mix such as 3 parts #2 perlite to 1 part Sunshine Mix #4. Lilleeng-Rosenberger's notes indicate that the seeds were sown on the surface of the moistened medium. Keep the medium moist until germination. The containers should be placed in a covered shaded area to control soil moisture and reduce damage from rain. Plants are flowering size in 3 years.
  • The germination rate is greatly reduced when the seeds are stored. If seeds must be stored, cleaned seeds should be air dried. They should be stored in a paper bag or envelope inside a airtight container with desiccant and kept in a cool place at about 25% relative humidity. (Koob 1999; Lilleeng-Rosenberger 1996; Mehrhoff 1993; Stratton 1998; Wagner 1990)
  • Gardenia brighamii can be propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings. Cuttings from actively growing plants will root the most quickly. Best rooting is obtained using a medium strength rooting hormone (e.g. 0.1% IBA and 0.05% NAA) (Koob, email) and either a mist system or a humidity chamber. Rooting takes place in 1 to 6 months. (Koob 1999)
  • Gardenia brighamii has been propagated by air layers by U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel on Maui. (Mehrhoff 1993)
  • Gardenia brighamii can be propagated by grafting. (Stratton 1998) [Data from Herring, E. C., & Criley, R. A. (2003). The Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Web Site: Developing a Webbased Information Resource. HortTechnology, 13(3), 545-548. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawnprop/]

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Endemic
Molokai Endemic
Lana'i Endemic
Maui Endemic
Hawai'i Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 171 (1867)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1132 (O, Mo, L, WM, H); PEPP 2025/Susan Ching pers. comm. 2025 (O†, 2019); PEPP 2025/Spaulding III s.n. BISH 501418 (Mo†, 1981); PEPP 2025/Forbes 2387.M BISH (M†, 1920); PEPP 2025/Carlquist 2119 RSA (H†, 1966)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Vegetation: Diospyros, Nestegis, Psydrax, Schinus, Lantana. Preserved_Specimen Extremely rare; flowers white, very fragrant. Oppenheimer, H.L. 100627 Lanai BISH 2006-10-19
2 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details NW aspect, lower, steep rocky slope. Vegetation: Remnant Dry Forest w/ Diospyros, Dodonaea, Schinus, Lantana. Preserved_Specimen Single 4m tree, w/2 trunks; flowers white and fragrant. No fruit observed, probably a functionally male tree. Oppenheimer, H.L. 61603 Lanai BISH 2016-06-08
3 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 12 Lanai BISH 1927-05-28
4 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1 Molokai BISH 1912-06-01
5 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 14020 Molokai BISH 1918-04-01
6 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1 Molokai BISH 1912-06-01
7 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. Oahu BISH 1984-04-22
8 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Molokai BISH 1932-12-12
9 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Montgomery, S.L. Lanai BISH 1971-07-05
10 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Molokai BISH 1920-02-01
11 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. Hawaii BISH 1912-06-01
12 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. Lanai BISH 1914-04-25
13 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Spaulding III, P. Molokai BISH 1981-01-01
14 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Inside deer enclosure. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Lanai BISH 1979-02-19
15 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Puttock, C.F. Oahu BISH 2002-08-24
16 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1952-01-18
17 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Hawaii BISH 1927-06-01
18 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 348 Lanai BISH 1864-01-01
19 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 160 Lanai BISH 1913-06-01
20 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. BISH
21 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Russ, G.W. Oahu BISH 1929-10-01
22 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. Lanai BISH 1915-04-13
23 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 160 Lanai BISH 1913-06-01
24 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. BISH
25 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1979-10-31
26 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In Diospyros-Nestegis lowland dry forest with Pouteria, Myrsine, Nothocestrum, Bobea, Canthium, Lantana, Leucaena, Schinus. Preserved_Specimen Perlman, S. 5897 Lanai BISH 1987-05-25
27 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Aa lava flows. Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Hawaii BISH 1955-12-01
28 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry windswept lower forest. Preserved_Specimen Tree 5 m x 2 dm. loaded with fruit, not quite ripe. St.John, H. 25563 Lanai BISH 1955-07-03
29 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In windswept elfin forest. Preserved_Specimen This plant 14' tall. Shrubby stunted. Stone, B.C. 882 Lanai BISH 1955-07-04
30 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Puhielelu ridge, to S of Puu Nene, degraded Erythrina sandwicensis - Diospyros sandwicensis dry forest w/Psydrax odorata, Rauvolfia sandwicensis, Planchonella sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Prosopis pallida, Leucaena leucocephala, Lantana camara, Schinus terebinthifoliuis Preserved_Specimen tree #8, 5m ht with few flowers, no fruit, tree leaning on post Perlman, S. 23445 Lanai BISH 2013-05-15
31 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On lava beds in company with Nototrichium. Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 3550 Hawaii BISH 1909-06-06
32 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated dryland forest; full sun; adjacent to koa haole and monkeypod. Preserved_Specimen Shrub-like, about 6 ft tall; large fragrant white flowers; fruit with prominant ribs, speckled, with long narrow calyx lobes. Leaves superficially resembling Gardenia taitensis, with glossy, smooth texture. James, S.A. 1600 Oahu BISH 2006-07-22
33 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Only about 4 large trees remaining in entire dry forest. Preserved_Specimen Twiggy, 12-15 ft high tree. Degener, O. 24202 Lanai BISH 1957-08-09
34 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated; full sun. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 6ft with large glossy leaves; large white fragrant flowers with recurved corolla. Okamoto, F. Oahu BISH 2006-06-21
35 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated dryland forest; full sun; adjacent to koa haole and monkeypod. Preserved_Specimen Shrub-like, about 6 ft tall; large fragrant white flowers; fruit with prominant ribs, speckled, with long narrow calyx lobes. Leaves superficially resembling Gardenia taitensis, with glossy, smooth texture. James, S.A. 1600 Oahu BISH 2006-07-22
36 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Xerophytic forest. Preserved_Specimen Tree 5 m tall, fruit hard. Fosberg, F.R. 12533 Lanai BISH 1935-12-01
37 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry forest. Preserved_Specimen Tree to 5m ht with green immature fruits. Puttock, C.F. Lanai BISH 2002-06-10
38 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry land native forest. Preserved_Specimen Desha, A. Lanai BISH 1963-05-04
39 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dry forest. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 15 ft, 6 in diam. Rare. Little Jr., E.L. 31247 Lanai BISH 1976-09-17
40 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Nestegis lowland dry forest with Styphelia, Nesoluma, Myoporum, Bobea, Pleomele, Rauvolfia, Melicope. Preserved_Specimen 1 tree, 15 ft ht, good condition, no flower or fruit. Other tree 10 ft ht. half dead, old fruit. Perlman, S. 6345 Lanai BISH 1987-08-25
41 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Bushy slope Preserved_Specimen Single 20 ft tree (fenced) St.John, H. 11165 Oahu BISH 1931-11-22
42 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Waltheria and grasses in gulch. Preserved_Specimen Tree 15-20' tall; few, small, shiny leaves; flowers persistent after drying; green, mature fruits. Herbst, D.R. 2955 Molokai BISH 1973-04-03
43 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details 1 tree seen high up on the ridge at foot of pali. Preserved_Specimen Old weather beaten tree, 15 ft high; Corollas dried up, buds gummy. Fruit dark olive green with white callous spots all over, the tube brighter green, the bracts yellow green. Leaves pale green like Bobea. Forbes, C.N. 2387 Maui BISH 1920-05-16
44 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated dryland forest; full sun; adjacent to koa haole and monkeypod. Preserved_Specimen Shrub-like, about 6 ft tall; large fragrant white flowers; fruit with prominant ribs, speckled, with long narrow calyx lobes. Leaves superficially resembling Gardenia taitensis, with glossy, smooth texture. James, S.A. 1600 Oahu BISH 2006-07-22
45 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated; full sun. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 6ft with large glossy leaves. Okamoto, F. Oahu BISH 2006-06-21
46 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Olopua-lama forest w/ Santalum ellipticum. 1 tree, Lantana under tree. Preserved_Specimen 1 tree, 15 ft ht, 12 base, no seedlings. Flowers white, fragrant, fruit immature. Perlman, S. 5088 Lanai BISH 1987-01-12
47 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On lava beds in company with Nototrichium. Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 3547 Hawaii BISH 1909-06-06
48 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Area grazed by cattle, Guinea grass & Haole koa associates Preserved_Specimen One tree; 20 ft height, base 12-14 in; dbh 8-10; no flowers; 1 fruit, immature Perlman, S. 5148 Oahu BISH 1987-01-27
49 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated; full sun. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 6ft with large glossy leaves; large white fragrant flowers. Okamoto, F. Oahu BISH 2006-06-21
50 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Only 2 trees known to us in entire dry forest. Preserved_Specimen 12 ft high, densely twiggy tree; flw. very fragrant. Degener, O. 28558 Lanai BISH 1963-08-15
51 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Nestegis lowland dry forest with Nesoluma, Myoporum, Bobea, Lantana, Dodonaea, Pleomele, Rauvolfia, Melicope, Wikstroemia. Preserved_Specimen 1 tree, 15 ft ht, good condition, no flower or fruit. Perlman, S. 6345 Lanai BISH 1987-08-25
52 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Xerophytic forest. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 5 m tall, fls. more or less dried up. Fosberg, F.R. 12548 Lanai BISH 1935-12-01
53 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Nestegis lowland dry forest with Nesoluma, Myoporum, Bobea, Lantana, Dodonaea, Pleomele, Rauvolfia, Melicope, Wikstroemia. Preserved_Specimen 1 tree, 15 ft ht, good condition, no flower or fruit. Perlman, S. 6345 Lanai BISH 1987-08-25
54 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Xerophytic forest. Preserved_Specimen Tree 4 m tall, flower white, fragrant. Fosberg, F.R. 12541 Lanai BISH 1935-12-01
55 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In Erythrina- Diospyros lowland dry forest with Alyxia, Pleomele, Dodonaea, Canthium, Aleurites, Nestegis, Schinus, Panicum maximum. Preserved_Specimen 2 trees, one is 12 ft ht. with fruit at 1200 ft ele and other is 6 ft ht. no fruit at 1050 ft el. Perlman, S. 6152 Oahu BISH 1987-07-10
56 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Open dry forest Preserved_Specimen Erect tree; 4 m height; flowers white and fragrant; 1.25 in across; 6 petals; in blossum; no fruit Judd, C.S. 40 Oahu BISH 1925-12-08
57 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Small tree with white fragrant flowers. Herbst, D.R. 5762 Molokai BISH 1976-03-11
58 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen 2.5 m densely branching tree with compact crown, leaves falling, ?dying plant; ripe fruit globose, green ripening brown, speckled, endocarp orange within, splitting into 4 segments, numerous seeds in orange pulp Lorence, D.H. 8857 Kauai BISH 2002-05-10
59 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen 1 old weather beaten tree, 15 ft high; fls. dried up, buds green dotted with white, bracts yellow green; leaves pale green. Forbes, C.N. 2387 Maui BISH 1920-05-16
60 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 7053 Molokai BISH 1910-04-01
61 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen A shrub/tree 2 m tall. Corollas white with some creamy yellow on the outer surface of the lobes and apple green on the outer tube. Flower moderately fragrant (evening). Lau, J. 2070 Oahu BISH 1986-02-17
62 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen One small tree Hansen, H. Oahu BISH 1949-07-04
63 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Plant #2. James, S.A. Oahu BISH 2002-09-18
64 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Plants in bloom and seeding. Pekelo Jr., N. Molokai BISH 1972-03-20
65 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Cultivated. Puttock, C.F. Oahu BISH 2002-07-24
66 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Plant #3. James, S.A. Oahu BISH 2002-09-18
67 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Flowers white, fragrant. Herbst, D.R. 5786 Lanai BISH 1976-03-31
68 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 113 Lanai BISH 1913-09-22
69 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 348 Lanai BISH 1864-01-01
70 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 28 Lanai BISH 1915-04-15
71 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Cultivated garden; full sun. Preserved_Specimen Large, glossy-leafed gardenia with large fragrent white flowers; corolla lobes recurved; superficially resebmling G. taitensis. Tsuneyoshi, A. Oahu BISH 2006-06-21
72 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 7053 Molokai BISH 1910-04-01
73 Gardenia brighamii Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Plants in bloom and seeding. Pekelo Jr., N. Molokai BISH 1972-03-20
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