Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 25, 2026

Wikstroemia johnplewsii

Wikstroemia johnplewsii, common name Hiva Oa ohelo, is a plant species endemic to the island of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. It is found at relatively high altitudes in the mountains, at elevations over 600 m. The only other member of the genus reported from the Marquesas is W. coriacea. Wikstroemia coriacea has narrower leaves and smaller inflorescences than. W. johnplewsii.

Last revised
Jun 25, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
301 w
Citations
8
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Hiva Oa ohelo
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Genus: Wikstroemia
Species:
W. johnplewsii
Binomial name
Wikstroemia johnplewsii
W.L. Wagner & Lorence
Synonyms1

Daphne johnplewsii (W.L. Wagner & Lorence) Halda

Wikstroemia johnplewsii, common name Hiva Oa ohelo, is a plant species endemic to the island of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. It is found at relatively high altitudes in the mountains, at elevations over 600 m. The only other member of the genus reported from the Marquesas is W. coriacea (sometimes erroneously called W. foetida). Wikstroemia coriacea has narrower leaves and smaller inflorescences than. W. johnplewsii.23

Wikstroemia johnplewsii is a shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall. Leaves are sessile (=without petioles), thick and leathery, dark green on upper surface but much lighter below, elliptic to broadly ovate, up to 8 cm long. Peduncles are usually 12–32 mm long, sometimes up to 40 mm. Inflorescence is an elongate raceme up to 40 mm long at flowering time, with 9-27 flowers. Flowers are tubular, greenish-yellow, up to 9 mm long.24567

The species is named for NTBG (National Tropical Botanical Garden) contributor John Harry Rice Plews, who funded much of the field research.

References

References

  1. Tropicos
  2. Wagner, Warren Lambert, & Lorence, David H. 1998. A new species of Wikstromeia (Thymelaceae) from Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands. Novon 8(3): 318–320, f. 1.
  3. Fosberg, F.R. 1993. The Forster Pacific Islands collections from Captain Cook's Resolution Voyage. Allertonia 102:1-53.
  4. photo of specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden
  5. Halda, Josef Jakob. 2001. The Genus Daphne. Dobré, Czech Republic.
  6. Halda, Josef Jakob. 2000. Acta Musei Richnoviensis (Rychnov nad Kněžnou, Czech Republic) 7(1): 6.
  7. Herber, B. E. 2003. Thymelaeaceae. 5: 373–396. In K. Kubitzki (ed.) Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Springer Verlag, Berlin.