Distribution : D'après Wilmot-Dear & Friis (
2013): "Hawaiian Islands (incl. Hawaii, Mauai, Lauai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai); presumed naturalised in Reunion and Mauritius."
Taxonomie : D'après Wilmot-Dear & Friis (
2013): "The material found in Mascarenes (
B. stipularis) is indistinguishable from that found in Hawaii. The differences suggested in literature (e.g., Hillebrand 1888: 412) between these two taxa are non-existent;
B. stipularis appears to differ from
B. grandis only in leaves strongly cordate, often with marked auricles overlapping each other or wrapped round the petiole, lamina often abundantly velvety hairy abaxially, stigma 1.5 mm. Wagner et al. (1999: 1300) note that Heller (1897) recognised the Hawaiian taxon as distinct “without any comment other than, when considered conspecific with
B. stipularis, it had an odd distribution”. It is presumed to be an early introduction to the Mascarenes from Hawaii (just as is the presence there of the East Asian
B. penduliflora). The species was cultivated by the early Hawaiians for fibre (Degener 1947: Fam. 97, Urticaceae,
Boehmeria)."
