Cyanea hirtella

• Conservation Status: Apparently Secure
• Distribution: Kaua’i
• Date photographed: 9/22/2010
• Ease of viewing: Easy
• *Identification: Form– Unbranched or sparingly branched shrubs 1-6 m tall. Leaves– oblanceolate to oblong; blades 10-27 cm, 2-6 cm wide; margins minutely callose-denticulate to callose-serrulate; petioles 2.5-6 cm long. Flower– hypanthium obconical to to obovoid; 6-11 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, pubescent; calyx lobes narrowly triangular, 1-3 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide; corolla pale white to pale purpulish with purple longitudinal stripes, 30-40 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, densely pubescent
• Phylogenetic comments: 2022 update — Cyanea hirtella is part of the hirtella clade; a monophyletic group endemic to the island of Kaua’i. This group is sister to all the other Cyanea sect. orange fruited clade.
• My Notes: I saw this plant off the side of the Pihea Trail. Unfortunately, I had just missed the infloresence. From interacting with the good folks on Flickr, it appears this individual had flowered in June.
• Links: A Monographic Study of the Hawaiian Species of the Tribe Lobelioideae Family Campanulaceae
• Additional Photos:

*From Manual of Flowering Plants of Hawai’i