Broussaisia
Broussaisia arguta, the kanawao, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the Hydrangea family, Hydrangeaceae, that is endemic to Hawaiʻi. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Broussaisia.[2]
| Kanawao | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Cornales |
| Family: | Hydrangeaceae |
| Subfamily: | Hydrangeoideae |
| Tribe: | Hydrangeeae |
| Genus: | Broussaisia Gaud. |
| Species: | B. arguta |
| Binomial name | |
| Broussaisia arguta | |
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Kanawao is a widespread species occurring in mesic and wet forests on all of the main Hawaiian Islands. It is a dioecious, evergreen plant that either grows as a 1.5–3-metre (4.9–9.8 ft) shrub or a 6-metre (20 ft) tree. The obovate leaves are 10–25 centimetres (3.9–9.8 in) long and 4–9 centimetres (1.6–3.5 in) wide with finely serrated margins.[2]
Relationship to other Organisms
The Orthotylus broussaisia (O. broussaisiae) from Kauai feeds on Broussaisia arguta. Although there has been extensive research on Broussaisia arguta, only the Orthotylus broussaisiae species has been found feeding on it.[3]
References
- "Broussaisia arguta Gaudich". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2008-07-01. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
- Little Jr., Elbert L.; Roger G. Skolmen (1989). "Kanawao" (PDF). Common Forest Trees of Hawaii. United States Forest Service.
- Polhemus, Dan A. (2013). "A Fourth Contribution to the Study of Hawaiian Orthotylus (Heteroptera: Miridae): New Species, Addenda, Revised Checklist, and Key to the Perrottetia-Feeding Species". Entomologica Americana. 119: 30–41. doi:10.1664/11-RA-014.1. S2CID 85741177.