Cyrtandra megistocalyx (Gesneriaceae), a New Species from Oahu, 
Hawaiian Islands 
Hawaiian Plant Studies 28 
Harold St. John 1 
One’s work seems never done. Though in 
1966 the writer published (Bishop Museum, 
Bull. 229) a monographic account of twenty- 
five years of study of Cyrtandra, he now pre- 
sents, as a supplement, one more species from 
the island of Oahu, Hawaiian Islands. 
Cyrtandra megistocalyx sp. nov. (Sect. Cylin- 
dro calyces) 
Fig. 1 
diagnosis holotypi: Frutex 2 m alta, caule 2 cm 
diametro, ramulis glabratis viridibus turn brunneis 
quadrangularibus teretibus in sicco contractis, cicatri- 
cibus separatis 2.5-3 mm altis scutelliformibus 
stramineis suberosis, cicatricibus fascium 5, novellis 
subadpressiter brunnei-pilosis, ramulis foliosis 2-4 
mm diametro subteretibus cito glabratis, internodis 
5-25 mm plerumque 15 mm longis, folds oppositis 
non aggregatis adscendentibus sed vetustioribus paucis 
divergentibus inaequalibus in 5-10 nodis superis 
affixis, folio uno paris cuiusque Vfe — V 2 minori, petiolis 
15-36 mm longis gracilibus in juvente adpressiter 
brunnei-pilosis sed turn glabratis, laminis 5-20 cm 
longis 14-45 mm latis chartaceis oblanceolatis cuneatis 
decurrentibus in apice subito subacuminatis supra 
glabris et obscure lucidis viridibus infra in midnervo 
adpresse brunnei-pilosulis et in nervis lateralibus 
minime pilosulis parte % ultima remote crenati- 
serrata, nervis lateralibus 8-17 in quoque latere 
rectis adscendentibus turn proxima marginem intercon- 
nect^ et ramulis in serris salientibus, cymis 1-floriferis 
sparse brunnei-pilosis ex axilibus foliosis, pedunculis 
2-3 mm longis et in flore divergentibus, pedicelis in 
flore 2-6 mm longis in fructu 7-14 mm longis sparse 
brunnei-pilosis, bracteis duobus caducis 2.5-3 mm 
longis lanceolatis subadpressiter brunnei-pilosis den- 
siter ad marginem sparsiter in dorso, alabastris 26—27 
mm longis in vivo extra remotissime brunnei-pilosis 
intra densiter adpresse brunnei-pilosis fusiformibus 
corpore oblanceoloideo rostro 8-10 mm longo adscen- 
denti arcuati vel subsigmoideo, lobis 5 subconnatis 
sed in apice labia supera cum 3 papillis et labia infera 
cum 2 papillis brevissimis, corpore et parte infera 
rostri in flore in sinu 10 mm longo apertis et ex eo 
flore exserto, calycibus 25-27 mm longis et a fructu 
1 Botanist, B. P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, 
Hawaii 96819, U.S.A. Manuscript received July 20, 
1966. 
immaturo caducis, corollis 28 mm longis in vivo albis 
extra glabris tubo 20 mm longo sed in fauce capitati- 
glandulosi-puberulento cuneati-cylindrico in parte 
mediali in 40° deflecto in basi 3 mm diametro in 
medio 5 mm diametro in fauce 8 mm diametro et 5 
mm lato, limbo bilabiate, labia supera in 80° ab axile 
deflecto, lobis binis 6 mm longis 7 mm latis subor- 
bicularibus intra in parte V 2 infera capitati-glandulosi- 
puberulentis, labia infera 3-lobata lobis binis laterali- 
bus 8 mm longis 8.5 mm latis oblongi-suborbicularibus 
simulante puberulentibus, loba infera 9 mm longa 8.5 
mm lata latiter elliptica pagina supera supra capitati- 
glandulosa excepta ad apicem et infra, staminibus 
binis inferis perfectis filamentis in tubo 4 mm ex basi 
adnatis parte libera 2.5 mm longa valide spiraliter 
curvata, antheris 3.5 mm longis conniventibus oblique 
et asymmetrice lati-ovatis, connectivo simulanti, 
staminodiis binis lateralibus in tubo 6 mm ex basi 
adnatis parte libera 0.3 mm longis antheroideo 0.7 
mm longo translucenti, staminodeo supero simulanti 
sed in tubo in 5.3 mm adnato, stylo 9-5 mm longo 
tereti glabro, stigmate cum lobis binis 3-5 mm longis 
2.5 mm latis ellipticis in latere % connatis, ovario 
7 mm longo lineari-lanceoloideo glabro basi cum disco 
cupulato 1.8 mm alto cincto, bacca 15 mm longa 9 mm 
diametro ellipsoidea alba rostra ta (bacca immatura 
23 X 8 mm), seminibus 0.4-0. 5 mm longis 0.23-0.25 
mm diametro ellipsoideis mellaceis sed apicibus 
umbonatis brunneis corpore cum reticulis cellulosis 
polygonatis elongatis % tarn longis quam semine. 
diagnosis of holotype: Shrub 2 m tall; 
stem 2 cm in diameter; branchlets glabrate, 
green to brownish, quadrangular terete, shrink- 
ing on drying; leaf scars separate 2.5-3 mm 
high, shield-shaped, stramineous, corky; bundle 
scars 5 ; young shoots covered with subappressed 
brown pilosity; leafy branchlets 2-4 mm in 
diameter, nearly terete, quickly glabrate; in- 
ternodes 5-25 mm, mostly about 15 mm long; 
leaves opposite, not crowded, ascending, but a 
few older ones diverging, unequal, one of each 
pair being Yq - 1 / 2 the smaller, borne at the 
5-10 upper nodes; petioles slender, 15-36 mm 
long, in youth appressed brown pilose but later 
glabrate; blades 5-20 cm long, 14-45 mm wide, 
chartaceous, oblanceolate and cuneate decurrent 
at base, the apex abruptly subacuminate, above 
422 
