Marquesas Islands: Tahuata, ridge E of trail ridge up to Amatea from Kuaee, E facing slope, 2560 ft (780 m), 18 July 1997, S. P. Perlman, K. R. Wood, and J. P. Luce 16008 (Holotype: PTBG-025572!; isotypes: BISH!, P!, PAP!, US!).

Trees 3–7 m tall, subglabrous, functionally monoecious, the main trunk to 30 cm in diameter, often with multiple prop roots, bark brown, wood cream colored, the young stems with short internodes. Leaves thinly coriaceous, the blade ovate to very broadly ovate, 10–19.3 × 6–15.8 cm, the young ones often viscous and with a turpentine-like scent, secondary veins 6–18 mm apart, abaxial axils with domatia with small tufts of hairs, margins weakly dentate to subentire, apex bluntly acuminate to obtuse, base obtuse to occasionally truncate, often oblique; petioles 3–9 cm long. Inflorescences terminal, heads in clusters of 3, 9–14 mm in diameter, 10–20 mm high; peduncles 15–76 mm long; involucre campanulate, the bracts 7–9, in 2 series, 7–11 mm long, the external ones wider and thicker; receptacular bracts of ray florets 10–11 mm long, those of disk florets 12–13 mm long; ray florets 8–10 in 1–3 series, white, corolla tube and throat 3–4 mm long, limb 3–3.8 mm long, shallowly toothed; disk florets 18–20, white, corolla tube and throat 3.5–4 mm long, the lobes 3 mm long. Ray achenes 8–9 mm long, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, winged on both margins, the wings up to 1 mm wide, the wing margin smooth, extending beyond the achene apex; the disk achenes sterile, linear, 12–13 mm long.

We are pleased to name this new species in recognition of its first collector, Steven P. Perlman, known in the Marquesas by his nickname “Tiva”, in recognition of his contributions to our knowledge of the flora of the Pacific region.

Endemic to the Marquesas Islands and restricted to the vicinity of the type locality on Tahuata.

Scattered to locally common in the low wet forest, dominated by species of Alsophila, Crossostylis, Freycinetia, Hibiscus, Metrosideros, Reynoldsia, and Weinmannia, with an understory rich in plants such as Cyrtandra, Dicranopteris, Gahnia, Macropiper, Marattia, Morinda, and Psychotria, from 790 to 900 m elevation, usually on windswept slopes and gulches of summit areas. Known to flower and fruit in July.

Following the criteria and categories of IUCN (2001) it is assigned a preliminary status of Critically Endangered (CR): B2a, B2b (i-iii); D: B2: total area of occupancy less than 10 km2 (ca. 5 km2). B2a, a single population known; b (i–iii), habitat continuing decline inferred; D, population estimated to number fewer than 250 individuals. The suitable habitat for Oparanthus tiva on Tahuata (c. 61 km2) is indicated as an endangered environment, threatened feral animals and invasive plants, reducing the extent of the forest. The known habitat is not pristine and non-native plants such as Ageratum conyzoides L., Elephantopus mollis Kunth, Melinis repens (Willd.) Zizka, Paspalum conjugatum P. J. Bergius, Paspalum paniculatum L., Psidium guajava L., Spathoglottis plicata Blume, and Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Sm. were observed in the area.

Marquesas Islands: Tahuata: ridge from Amatea to Moteve passing Meikaea, view down is on village of Hanatetena, on E facing slope, Perlman et al. 15977 (BISH, P, PAP, PTBG, US); off trail from Amatea to Moteve, above Haaoipu Bay, to NE of Hanatetena, top of ridge crest, W facing slope, Perlman et al. 15998 (PTBG); Haaoiputeomo summit region, upper drainage to N of satellite dish, [09 56’S, 139 04’W], Wood 6523 (BISH, MO, NY, P, PAP, PTBG [2], US); Amatea region, locations around Haaoiputeomo satelite dish (parabowl), Wood 10263(PAP, PTBG, US), Wood 10265(PAP, PTBG, US).

Oparanthus tiva has domatia (with an associated tuft of hairs) on the abaxial surface of the leaves. Domatia are essentially absent in the family, so domatia in Oparanthus tiva should be investigated further to understand the ecological significance. When domatia were discovered in Oparanthus tiva, we reexamined the other species of the genus and those of the closely related genus Fitchia. We found them only in the closest relative, Oparanthus hivoanus and in the Nuku Hiva species, Oparanthus woodii, but in these without the associated tuft of hairs covering the pit. Oparanthus tiva is a relatively rare species with an estimated 100 individuals known. It is distinguished from Oparanthus hivoanus by the tree habit, leaves thinly coriaceous, 10–19.3 × 6–15.8 cm, larger heads 9–14 mm in diameter, 10–20 mm high, receptacular bracts of ray florets 10–11 mm long, those of disk florets 12–13 mm long, and the sterile disk achenes 12–13.

Marquesas Islands: Nuku Hiva: Ooumu region, top of Tapueahu Valley off new Hwy, [08 51’53S, 140 10’63W], 1067–1128 m, 23 June 1997, K. R. Wood 6375 (Holotype: PTBG-025565!; isotypes: BISH!, P!, PAP!, US!).

Trees 2–5 m tall, glabrous, functionally monoecious, moderately to diffusely branched, the trunk often with multiple prop roots, bark brown, wood cream-colored. Leaves thinly coriaceous, the blade broadly elliptic to broadly elliptic-obovate, 11–23.1 × 3.5–12.7 cm, secondary veins 4–12 mm apart, conspicuously arching upward from midrib, then spreading to margin, abaxial axils often with domatia, these without associated hairs, margins entire, apex rounded to truncate, base cuneate, often oblique; petioles 3.5–6 cm long, the base conspicuously connate around stem with paired leaf petiole. Inflorescences terminal, heads solitary, 12–16 mm in diameter, 22–35 mm high, peduncles 3–15 mm long, stout; involucre campanulate; involucral bracts 8, in 2 series, the external ones 8–13 mm long, connate at the base, thick and broadly triangular, becoming lignified in fruit, the internal ones usually longer (up to 15 mm) and narrower, triangular to elliptic; receptacular bracts of the ray florets 13–14 mm long, those of the disk florets 12–13 mm long; ray florets ca. 18–22, in 2 series, corolla tube and throat 7.5–8 mm long, limb 4.2–4.5 mm long, 2–3-lobed, the lobes usually divided to near corolla throat, occasionally only shallowly so; disk florets ca. 40–50 or perhaps more, corolla tube and throat 6.3–6.6 mm long, the lobes 4.4–5.4 mm long. Ray achenes elliptic, 5–6 mm long, distinctly winged, the wings ca.1 mm wide, extending slightly beyond the achene apex; disk achenes sterile, linear, 10–11 mm long, with 2 awns.

This new species is named for Kenneth R. Wood, who first collected it and who has contributed greatly to our knowledge of the flora of the Marquesas and Hawaii through his collections and field observations.

Endemic to Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, and apparently restricted to the Ooumu region, in gulches near the top of Tapueahu Valley, from 1060 to 1130 m elevation.

Occurring in montane mesic to wet forest, ravines and steep slopes, with Metrosideros and Weinmannia dominant and a diverse understory of Asplenium, Blechmum, Cyrtandra, Hypolepis, Ilex, and Melicope, with stands of Freycinetia nearby. Known to flower in June, but probably for some months after that.

Based on the IUCN criteria and categories this species is assigned a preliminary Red List status of Critically Endangered (CR) B2a, B2b (i-iii); D: B2: total area of occupancy less than 10 km2 (ca. 5 km2). B2a, a single population known; b (i–iii), habitat continuing decline inferred; D, population estimated to number fewer than 250 individuals. The suitable habitat for Oparanthus woodii on Nuku Hiva (c. 340 km2) is indicated as an endangered environment, threatened by human activity (deforestation and fire), feral animals, and invasive plants, thus reducing the extent of the forest.

Oparanthus woodii appears to be closely related to Oparanthus teikiteetinii, which grows at lower elevations, but approaches the known range of Oparanthus woodii within a few hundred meters. While Oparanthus teikiteetinii is generally distinctive in the genus for its large size, attaining heights of up to 12 m, and for its large, often solitary capitula, Oparanthus woodii is a smaller tree up to 5 m tall and has large solitary heads on much shorter and stouter peduncles up to 15 mm long. The corollas are similar in these two species, but the ray corollas of Oparanthus woodii are also distinctive in that they are deeply divided to near the corolla throat. Likewise the leaves of Oparanthus woodii are distinctive in that they are conspicuously connate at the petiole bases, have secondary veins that arch upwards, and havenaked domatia in the abaxial vein axils. These are not always present and they lack the tufts of hairs in the always present domatia of Oparanthus hivoanus and Oparanthus tiva.

Marquesas Islands: MARQUESAS ISLANDS: Nuku Hiva, Ooumu region, top of Tapueahu Valley off new Hwy, [08 51’53S, 140 10’63W], Wood et. al. 6338 (P, PTBG, US); Wood 6376 (PTBG, US); Wood 6377 (BISH, K, P, PAP, PTBG, US).