Polyscias lallanii

A member of the Ginseng family (Araliaceae), Polyscias racemosa, formerly known as Munroidendron racemosum, is a 7 m (~ 23 ft) tall tree with a straight trunk and spreading branches. It has smooth, gray bark. Leaves are 15 to 30 centimeters (~ 6-12 in) long, and are made up of many oval leaflets, each of which are 8 to 17 centimeters (~ 3-7 in) long. These trees drop most of their leaves during their summer blooming season. The small, pale yellow flowers hang in long, loose bunches. (Wagner,W.L.,Herbst,D.R.,Sohmer,S.H. 1990. Manual of Flowering Plants of Hawai'i.)

Threats to Polyscias racemosa include competition with alien plant species, such as Aleurites moluccana (Kukui), Psidium guajava (Guava), Lantana camara (Lantana), and Leucaena leucocephala (Koa Haole). Other threats include habitat degradation by feral goats, fire, and fruit predation by rats. In addition, a mature, cultivated tree was observed being killed by an introduced insect of the long-horned beetle family (Cerambycidae).This beetle could potentially attack and damage or kill wild trees (USFWS.2000.) The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) currently has ex situ holdings in its seed bank, which represents two out of the fifteen populations. In addition, there are approximately 400 plants growing in the nursery. The Kaua'i District, Department of Land and Natural Resource, and the Department of Forestry and Wildlife outplanted approximately 400 individuals at Kauhao Ridge, and additional outplanting is planned. Other outplanting sites include: Sleeping Giant, DLNR Kalalau Exclosure, and Ha'upu. The Lyon Arboretum, NTBG, and the Waimea Arboretum have successfully propagated Polyscias racemosa. (USFWS.1995.) Research Management Needs: 1. Fence and manage surviving wild populations of P. racemosa. 2. Test the influence of weeding and fencing on populations of P. racemosa. 3. Conduct pollination biology genetics and seed dispersal studies. Ex Situ Needs: 1. Establish secure ex situ stocks with full founder representation. 2. Develop proper horticultural protocols and pest management for P. racemosa. 3. Survey ex situ holdings and conduct molecular fingerprinting of P. racemosa. (Recommendations derived from Chapin,M.H. and Maunder,M.)

Polyscias racemosa is used as a landscape species and will reach twenty to twenty-five feet in height. This small tree has a strong, slender trunk and attractive flowers and foliage. It is unusual in appearance and works well as a specimen tree or for a background planting.

Polyscias racemosa is an extremely rare endangered endemic plant from Kaua'i. It grows in moist forests from 390 to 1,300 feet. It occurs naturally in only 3 locations on Kaua'i: Nounou Mountain, Na Pali cliffs, and Ha'upu Ridge near Nawiliwili Bay and Waimea Canyon. (Wagner,W.L.,Herbst,D.R.,Sohmer,S.H. 1990. Manual of Flowering Plants of Hawai'i.)

Polyscias racemosa is a hermaphrodite and is believed to be insect-pollinated. Its seeds are presumed to be bird dispersed. (Sakai et al.1995.) Because each population of this species contains only a small number of trees, the species is threatened by extinction from naturally occurring events, such as landslides or hurricanes.(USFWS.2000.)

Formerly considered to belong to the genus Munroidendron, it was named in honor of George Campbell Munro (1866-1963), with the suffix "dendron" (tree) added. Noted as an early conservationist and botanical explorer, especially on Lanai, Munro was manager of Molokai Ranch early in 20th century and was one of the first to find this plant. He was particularly famed as an ornithologist and was the author, in 1944, of the popular and beautifully illustrated Birds of Hawaii. (Green,P.S. 1996. A Hawaiian Florilegium.)

Polyscias racemosa is an extremely rare, endangered and endemic species.

There is no record of specific uses for Polyscias racemosa, but there is for P. sandwicensis where the wood was used for stilts in a game called Kukuluae'o (Gon 2008.)

The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) and the University of Hawaii are working on a study on Polyscias racemosa population genetics. (Maunder.M, pers.comm. 2002.) The National Seed Storage Laboratory (NSSL) found inconclusive results after testing the seeds of Polyscias racemosa. The seeds are probably not tolerant to freezing. The laboratory germination time was 6 months. (Yoshinaga. 2002.)

We currently have 97 herbarium specimens for Polyscias lallanii in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

015937 - collected by Steve Perlman in Unknown
001629 - collected by John J. Fay in 1975
001628 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1986
001626 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1986
001624 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1986
001622 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1986
001623 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1986
001625 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1986
001627 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1988
008017 - collected by Steve Perlman in 1989
010770 - collected by Chipper Wichman in 1989
002804 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1990
002803 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1990
008687 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1990
Unassigned - collected by Steve Perlman in 1992
017951 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1995
S063709 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1995
021824 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1995
030593 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
030592 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
030535 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
030518 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
030517 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
030591 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
031170 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
047124 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2000
052345 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2000
052355 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2000
033498 - collected by Tim Flynn in 2000
S061986 - collected by Tim Flynn in 2000
054721 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2001
054720 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2001
047963 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2004
048607 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2004
S063710 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2005
047790 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2005
S072015 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2005
S072017 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2005
061810 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2005
061807 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2005
058573 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2005
053207 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2008
052357 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2008
048977 - collected by Clay Trauernicht in 2008
054286 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2008
057171 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
057169 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
057170 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
054446 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
054420 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
054418 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
054416 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
054445 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
054443 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
064683 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
064682 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2009
S072016 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2011
060276 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2012
065108 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2012
068611 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2012
065364 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
065365 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
065366 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
065363 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
067257 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
068759 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2013
067932 - collected by Jesse Adams in 2013
089918 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2014
074887 - collected by Dustin Wolkis in 2016
073642 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2016
074220 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2016
077815 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
077806 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
077852 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
077840 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
078442 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
077818 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
082350 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
082917 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
082916 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
083125 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
082912 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2017
076272 - collected by Dustin Wolkis in 2017
076271 - collected by Dustin Wolkis in 2017
077722 - collected by Seana Walsh in 2017
078202 - collected by Seana Walsh in 2017
078203 - collected by Seana Walsh in 2017
080135 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2017
Unassigned - collected by Dustin Wolkis in 2019
082894 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2019
087683 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2019
087383 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2020
087263 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2021
092986 - collected by Dept of Forestry in 2022
Unassigned - collected by Ben Nyberg in 2024
095918 - collected by KPEPP in 2024
096120 - collected by Adam Williams and Emily Brines in 2025

Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

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