Hoya bicarinata A. Gray 1861

Type description:

In Flora Vitiensis (1856)163.   B. Seemann.  H. bicarinata, A. Gray in Proceed. Amer. Acad. vol. v.; scandens; foliis glabellis subcarnosis planis obscure penninerviis ovalibus obovatis seu ovatis brevissime abrupteque acuminatis basi rotundatis subcordatisve, lamina supra petiolum hirtellum glardulose; pedunculo pedicellis haud longiori; sepalis lineari-oblongis; corollae albae extus glabrae intus puberulae lobis ovatis acutis planis; coronae stamineae foliolis incrassatis, disco obovato concavo angulo interno lougiuscule acuminato, marginibus baud revolutis, dorso eximie bicarinato.-Asclepias volubilis, Forst.  Prodr. n.128, et Icon. (ined.) t. 75 et 76, excl. syn.-Viti Levu and Ovalau (Seemann! n. 319).  Also collected in Tana (Forster!), and the Samoan Islands (U.  S. Expl.  Exped.).
What I distributed under the name H. pilosa (n. 321) is probably only a young state of this species, having the leaves more hairy below.

Translation: Climbing; leaves glabrous somewhat fleshy flat obscurely penninerved oval obovate or ovate very briefly and abruptly acuminate bases rounded almost cordate, blade above petiole hairy glandular; pedicels not at all longer than the peduncles; sepals linear-oblong; lobes of the corolla white, outside glabrous inside puberulous, ovate acute flat; with the staminal corona scales thickened, disc obovate concave interior angle long-acuminate, margins not at all revolute, back exceedingly keeled.  Asclepias volubilis, Forster Prodramus, n. 128 and Icon (unpublished) t. 75 and 76, excluding synonym. Viti Levu and Ovalau (I have seen Seemann n. 319). Also have seen Forster’s collected on Tana, and the Samoan Islands (US. Expl. Expedition).

Other literature:

In  Proc.  Am.  Aced. 5 (1861-1862) 335 A. Gray Hoya bicarinata Only the name appears at this reference.

In Flora of Samoa. 33 (1934) 92-93.  C.G. Lloyd & Walter H. Aiken.  Hoya. There are two very distinct forms of Hoya, which we noticed as occurring on the island.  The hoya has twining stems which throw out roots at the lower nodes, the leaves are opposite thick and fleshy, and the flowers are borne in lateral umbels; the corolla is rotate, the 5 lobes of the limb are ovate and valvate in the bud.  The staminal corona consists of 5 scales inserted on the gynostegium and is usually spreading horizontally like a star in the center of the, corolla; the inner angle bears a small tooth incumbent on the anther; the pollen masses are erect; the follicles ire smooth or with winged like appendages.
     Hoya bicarinata.-A climbing plant; leaves smooth, somewhat fleshy, penninerved, oval or ovate and abruptly acuminate the base rotund and subcordate, the upper side of the leaf and the petiole glardulose hairy, the petiole and pedicel not at all long; sepals linear or oblong; corolla white outside, puberulent within, lobes flat ovate, acute; the leaves of the staminal corona stout, disk obovate, concave, the inner angle long acuminate the margins not at all revolute, the back with 2 keels.  Flowers in axillary clusters.  Flowers almost out of bloom in November.

In Bulletin of the Bishop Museum  128 (1935 )188-189. “Samoan Flowering Plants” Christophersen.  Hoya  bicarinata A. Gray: Proc.  Am.  Acad., vol. 5, p. 335, 1862.
            Tau: Fitiuta trail, altitude 100-125 meters, flower, August 4, 1921, Garber nos. 556 and 566; Amouli trail, altitude 100 meters, fruit, September 16, 1921, Garber no. 615.  Savaii: forested "island" on Matavanu lava field, altitude 400 meters, flower, fruit, September 12, 1929, Christophersen 589; forest between Puapua and Samalaeulu, fruit, October 13, 1929, Christophersen no. 917; edge of forest at Matavanu lava field, altitude 200 meters, flower, July 6, 1931, Christophersen and Hume nos. 1867 and 1869; Matavanu lava field, altitude 500 meters, flower, July 10, 1931, Christophersen and Hume no. 1942; Lelepa village, flower, July 8, 1931, Christophersen and Hume no. 1970; edge of forest, Vaipouli-Manase, altitude 100 meters, flower, July 12, 1931, Christophersen and Hume nos. 1973, 1974. Native names, fue se le la and olive vao. Both names I have obtained repeatedly in Savaii from actual specimens used by natives for decoration.
            This species comes close to H. australis R. Brown.  In fact, it has been included in that species by Bentham (6, p. 346). I have seen only a Photograph of Brown's type in the British Museum, but the Samoan specimens do not agree in all points with Bentham's interpretation or with Australian specimens examined. The young part of the stems of the Samoan plants is always pubescent; the peduncles are usually longer than the petioles, pubescent; pedicels also pubescent (glabrate in the specimens from Tau); lobes of corolla red or brownish red at the base, otherwise creamy white, glabrous or glabrate on the outside, densely pubescent with short, broad hairs on the entire inner surface. According to Bentham's interpretation, H. australis isglabrous, peduncles rarely exceeding the petioles, lobes of corolla pink at base, the inner surface nearly smooth and glabrous except toward the edges, which are slightly papillose.
These differences may not all prove to be of specific importance, but until the many Pacific forms of this affinity can be studied in their entirety the best procedure is to uphold H. bicarinata A. Gray.

In The Bulletin of the Lloyd Library 33 (1934) 93. Hoya bicarinata. - A climbing plant; leaves smooth, somewhat fleshy, penninerved, oval or ovate and abruptly acuminate the base rotund and subcordate, the upper side of the leaf and the petiole granulose hairy, the petiole and pedicel not at all long; sepals linear or oblong; corolla white inside, pubescent within, lobes flat ovate, acute; the leaves of the staminal corona stout, disk obovate, concave, the inner angle long acuminate the margins not at all revolute, the back with two keels. Flowers almost out of bloom in November.

In Plants of Samoa (1972) 40.  S. E. Parham. Hoya bicarinataA. Gray, (Asclepiadaceae). Climbing and epiphytic shrub; leaves thick; flowers in axillary umbels, cream-colored, fragrant; common in open country and on lava flows.

In Fiji Plants (1943) 10.  “Their Native Names and Uses”  Mrs. H. B. Richenda Parham,. bulibulisewaro ........Hoya bicarinata (Asclepiadaceae) H.B.R.P.A climber with lovely white waxy flowers, bunched together in an umbel.  A species of the Hoya is called draubibi in Bua.

In Telopia 3 (2) (1988) 255. “A Revision of Hoyas (Asclepiadaceae) in Australia” K. D. Hill. (Under Excluded Names). Hoya bicarinata A. Grays Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Is: 535 (1862).
Bentham (1969) records this name in synonymy with H. australis. The type of H. bicarinata was collected in Fiji, and represents a common South Pacific Island member of the H. australis complex, which is not the same as any of the Australian species. H. bicarinata is characterized by large, orbicular leaves with a loose, open indumentum of long, erect hairs on each side.

Hoya bicarinata A. Gray Type # sn. (NY)

Hoya bicarinata A. Gray 1861, Type  # 319 (GH)