Cyanea spathulata
Genus: Cyanea sect. Delisseoideae.
Range: Kaua'i, mesic to wet forest, 700-1,200 m.
Growth form: Shrub, 2-3 m tall.
Like other Delisseoideae of the genus Cyanea, this species is shrubby, much more so than its close relative, the rarely branching Cy. coriacea (however, Wimmer (1968) says spathulata is few-branched). Hillebrand originally placed this species as a variety of Cy. coriacea, but it was elevated to specific rank by Heller (1897) based on its more branching habit and also because it is found at much higher elevations (up to 1200m) than Cy. coriaceae (only up to 220m). It is also likely closely related to Cy. habenata and Cy. kahiliensis both of which occur in the same region. The midrib is prominent and reddish as in some Clermontia such as Cl. waimeae, Cl. hawaiiensis, Cl. drepanomorpha all from distant Hawai'i.
How to identify:
Images:
Sources:
- Hillebrand, 1888 (as Cyanea coriacea var. spathulata);
- Heller, 1897;
- Léveillé, 1913 (as Rollandia fauriei);
- Rock, 1919;
- Wimmer, 1943;
- Wimmer, 1968;
- Wagner et al., 1990.