Kamapua`a

Description

Kadua fluviatilis is a species of plant in the genus Kadua inthe Rubiaceae family. It is endemic to Hawaii. Kadua fluviatilis grows as a climbing shrub whose stems reach lengths of 0.3 to 2.5 meters. The slightly flattened trunks have a rounded stalk. The parts of the plant give off an unpleasant odor when injured. The opposite leaves arranged on the branches are divided into a petiole and a leaf bladearticulated. The petiole is 0.5 to 4 centimeters long. The simple, stiff and papery leaf blade is 3.8 to 23 centimeters long and 1.6 to 6 centimeters wide from elliptic-oblanceolate to elliptical-lanceolate, more rarely broadly elliptical-oblanceolate, broadly elliptical or ovate in shape. The upper side of the leaf blade is bare, as is the underside. The base of the blade is wedge-shaped, the tip of the blade, which is curved more or less like a sickle, is pointed or tailed, and the edge of the blade is entire. A few pairs of lateral veins branch off from each side of the central vein, and the higher order veins form a distinctive web-like pattern. The stipulesresemble the foliage leaves, are fused to the base of the petiole and thereby form a leaf sheath. The broadly triangular leaf sheath is 0.5 to 0.6 centimeters. Kadua is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It comprises 29 species, all restricted to Polynesia. Twenty-two of these are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Some of the species are common at high elevation. Others are single-island endemics or very rare, and a few are probably extinct. Kadua affinis is widely distributed in Hawaii and is polymorphic. The type species for the genus is Kadua acuminata. Kadua was formerly included in a broadly defined and polyphyletic Hedyotis, which encompassed, in addition to Kadua, species now placed in Oldenlandia, Oldenlandiopsis, Houstonia, and other genera. Hedyotis is now circumscribed more narrowly.