Cyanea rivularis Rock

Genus: Cyanea section Delisseoideae

Status: Endangered. Included in the "groundcover" project of the NTBG; 50 individuals outplanted with over 20 having flowered and set fruit in 2012 (Griffin-Noyes, 2012).

Range: Kaua'i, mesic forests, 1,300-1,400 m.

Growth form: Tree, 4-5 m tall.

This species was placed by Rock in Cyanea even though it has the distinctive dorsal knobs of the genus Delissea. Lammers, in the 1990 treatment, moved the species to Delissea, but reversed this decision in his 2005 monograph of Delissea. Thus dorsal knob remains, but he lists a slew of other characters, including Givnish molecular results, that place the species in section Delisseoideae of Cyanea (Lammers, 2005, page 13.)

How to identify:

Images:

Sources:

• Rock, 1913;
• Rock, 1919;
• Wimmer, 1943 (as Delissea rivularis);
• Wagner et al., 1990 (as Delissea rivularis);
• Lammers, 2005.