Cyanea superba
Genus: Cyanea
Range: O'ahu; mesic forest, 580-610 m.
Growth form: Tree, 4-6 m tall.
This species was first described by Chamisso in 1833. However, it did not fit nicely into the descriptions of the genera as established by Gaudichaud: Cyanea has all five anthers bearded. Clermontia has colored calyx lobes as long as the corolla. Rollandia has a adnate stamens. Delissea has short tooth-like calyx lobes. Cyanea superba has only two anthers bearded, a free staminal column, but the calyx is neither long like in Clermontia nor short as in Delissea. Therefore, Presl (1836) erected a new genus, Macrochilus (big-lip) to accomodate this species. No-one else took up this new combination.
How to identify:
Sources:
- Chamisso, 1833 (as Lobelia superba);
- G. Don, 1834 (as Lobelia superba);
- Presl, 1836 (as Macrochilus superba);
- Gray, 1861;
- Mann, 1868;
- Wawra, 1873 (as Delissea regina);
- Hillebrand, 1888 (including both varietes β = var. velutina Rock and γ var. reginae = Cyanea regina (Wawra) Rock;
- Rock, 1919 (including var. velutina);
- Rock, 1919 (as Cyanea regina);
- Wimmer, 1943 (including var. velutina);
- Wimmer, 1943 (as Cyanea regina);
- Wimmer, 1968 (as Cyanea regina);
- Wagner et al., 1990.