Found in mesic forests on Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea, Hawai`i (Wagner, et al. 1990: 1229).
Distribution in the Park is along the Mauna Loa Strip Road in Kipuka Puaulu and Kipuka Ki (Mueller-Dombois et al. year:58, Lamoureux year:47).
Elsewhere: Mexico, South America, various Pacific Islands, Africa (Wagner, et al. 1990: 1229).
| These are large trees,
with individuals becoming up to 25 m tall.
They are deciduous. |
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| The bark is pale brown and falls off in large scales from mature trees (Wagner, et al. 1990: 1229). |  |
| There may be a lot of juveniles found around the base of the parent plants. |  |
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| The leaves are 6 to 10
inches long and are even pinnately-compound with six to twelve
leaflets.
A branch from an adult is on the right. The two pictures below shows a juvenile. |
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| The flowers are interminal panicles that are 10 to 20 cm long. The petals are unequal and obovate and strongly concave and about 2 mm long (Wagner, et al. 1990: 1229). | |
| The fruit are fleshy, globose and range from 1.7 to 2 cm long. The seeds are redish brown to black (Wagner, et al. 1990: 1229). |  |
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Phenology Notes
| Kipuka Puaulu | Extremely abundant fruits (the trail is heavily littered beneath the adult trees). | 7/13/2000 |
| Kipuka Puaulu | No fruits. | 1/7/01 |
| Kipuka Puaulu | No fruits. | 5/6/01 |
| Strip Road in Kipuka Ki | Most trees without leaves. A few fruit on the forest floor. Deep litter. | 5/8/01 |
| Kipuka Puaulu | No fruits. | 8/4/01 |
| A dense Sapindus canopy can produce abundant litter. This appears to reduce the growth of other species on the forest floor. |  |