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Octopus Tree
Hernandia nymphaeifolia
ハスノハギリ
An evergreen tall tree growing near coasts in the Ogasawara and Ryukyu Islands. Named for its large circular leaves resembling lotus leaves. It produces white flowers and distinctive fruits enclosed in balloon-like involucral bracts.
Identification Points
- ✓Leaves are large, circular to reniform, resembling lotus leaves
- ✓Fruits have a distinctive shape, enclosed in balloon-like involucral bracts
- ✓Wood is light and white (corky)
Habitat
Coastal and lowland forests of the Ogasawara and Ryukyu Islands
Season
May–July (flowers)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen
Leaf shape
Round
Habitat
Coastal
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Palmate
Stipules
Absent
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Ovary position
Inferior
Compound type
Palmate
Aromatic
Aromatic
Phylogenetic Positionハスノハギリ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Magnoliids > Laurales > Hernandiaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (ca. 80 Ma onwards)
Evolution Notes
Hernandiaceae belongs to the order Laurales, a relatively ancient lineage. Its lightweight fruits are adapted for ocean current dispersal, enabling wide distribution across tropical and subtropical islands.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification