Clermontia parviflora Gaudich. ex. A. Gray

Genus: Clermontia section Clermontia, i.e. petaloid sepals.

Range: Hawai'i, wet forests, 120-1,460 m.

Growth form: Shrub, 1-3.5 m tall.

Green perianth; Photo by SJH 2016; Kohala Mountains	Purple perianth; Photo by Alan Cressler 2011 / Discover Life ; Mauna Kea

This species is one of the most common of the Clermontia. Its habit is typical for the genus, a tangled branching shrub about 3m tall. Because the first collections had smaller flowers than the other Clermontia known at that time, it was labeled parviflora (small-flowered) by Gaudichaud.

The petals and sepals are green or purple externally and green or white internally (see photos). The lobes are reflexed when open and about the same length as the tube.

This species was collected by Macrae or Gaudichaud, but was not validly published until Gray, 1861.

How to identify:

Images:

Sources:

• Gray, 1861;
• Mann, 1868;
• Wawra, 1873 (his Clermontia parviflora is actually Cl. persicifolia per Rock, 1913a);
• Hillebrand, 1888;
• Léveillé, 1911 (as Cyanea blinii);
• Rock, 1919;
• Wimmer, 1943 (including var. umbraticola);
• Degener, 1956 (including var. umbraticola);
• Wimmer, 1968 (including var. umbraticola);
• Wagner et al., 1990.