Cyanea kuhihewa

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Cyanea kuhihewa
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Campanulaceae
Genus: Cyanea
Species:
C. kuhihewa
Binomial name
Cyanea kuhihewa

Cyanea kuhihewa is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name Limahuli Valley cyanea. It is endemic to Kauai, where only two mature plants are known from a single wild population. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian. [2]

This Hawaiian lobelioid is a "treelet" growing 30 centimeters to over 2 meters in height. The narrow linear leaves are up to 38 centimeters long by 1.5 wide. The inflorescence is a raceme of purple-pink flowers. [3]

When the plant was discovered it was initially thought to be Cyanea linearifolia, an extinct species, and the discovery was broadcast and celebrated. [4] Upon closer examination the plant proved to be quite different from C. linearifolia and was determined to be a new species. It was given the name Cyanea kuhihewa in 1996. The species name kuhihewa is a Hawaiian verb that means "to make an error of judgment, to mistake someone for someone else, to not recognize someone when you first see him". [5]

The type specimen of the plant was collected in 1991, and the following year the habitat was seriously damaged by Hurricane Iniki. Since then the single population dwindled and disappeared. In 2006 the plant was considered "possibly extinct" in the wild. [6] It was rediscovered in 2017. [7]

The species is threatened by competition with introduced weeds, including Clidemia hirta , Rubus rosifolius , and Sphaeropteris cooperi . Other threats include habitat degradation by pigs, rats, and slugs. [1]

Several seeds have been collected from wild populations, both extinct and extant. These seeds are stored in the National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Lyon Arboretum. Conservationists hope to restore them to the NTBG's Limahuli Preserve. [1]

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Hawaiian lobelioids

The Hawaiian lobelioids are a group of flowering plants in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae, subfamily Lobelioideae, all of which are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. This is the largest plant radiation in the Hawaiian Islands, and indeed the largest on any island archipelago, with over 125 species. The six genera involved can be broadly separated based on growth habit: Clermontia are typically branched shrubs or small trees, up to 7 metres (23 ft) tall, with fleshy fruits; Cyanea and Delissea are typically unbranched or branching only at the base, with a cluster of relatively broad leaves at the apex and fleshy fruits; Lobelia and Trematolobelia have long thin leaves down a single, non-woody stem and capsular fruits with wind-dispersed seeds; and the peculiar Brighamia have a short, thick stem with a dense cluster of broad leaves, elongate white flowers, and capsular fruits. The relationships among the genera and sections remains unsettled as of April 2022.

<i>Brighamia insignis</i> Species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae

Brighamia insignis, commonly known as ʻŌlulu or Alula in Hawaiian, or colloquially as the vulcan palm or cabbage on a stick, is a endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It is native to the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. This short-lived perennial species is a member of a unique endemic Hawaiian genus with only one other species.

<i>Amaranthus brownii</i> Extinct species of flowering plant

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Critically Endangered IUCN conservation category

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Extinct in the wild IUCN conservation category

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Newcombs snail Species of mollusc

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<i>Protea aristata</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae

Protea aristata is a compact shrub with beautiful flowers which is endemic to the southwestern part of the Cape Region of South Africa. P. aristata has become one of South Africa's most famous proteas in spite of its relatively late discovery, and re-discovery in 1953. The leaves are soft, dense and needle-like and the flower heads are a stunning crimson red, it may thus be a good potential ornamental plant for South African gardens. It is usually called the Ladismith sugarbush in South African English, although it has been called pine sugar bush in Australia. In the Afrikaans language it has the vernacular name of klein-den-suikerbos.

<i>Cyanea</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Cyanea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae. The name Cyanea in Hawaiian is hāhā. These Hawaiian lobelioids are endemic to Hawaii with over 90% of Cyanea species are found only on one island in the Hawaiian chain. They grow in moist and wet forest habitat and are largely pollinated by birds such as the Hawaiian honeycreepers, and the seeds are dispersed by birds that take the fruits. Most Cyanea are trees with few branches or none. The inflorescence is a raceme of 4 to 45 flowers which grows from the leaf axils. The fruit is a fleshy berry. There have been several theories regarding the evolution of large prickles on plants endemic to islands that lack any mammalian or reptilian herbivores. One such theory suggests that the prickles are a defense against herbivory by the moa-nalo, a few taxa of flightless ducks that went extinct on the islands within the last 1600 years.

Euphorbia eleanoriae is a rare species of flowering plant in the euphorb family known by the common name Nā Pali sandmat. It is endemic to Kauaʻi, Hawaii. Like other native Hawaiian euphorbs it is called ʻakoko locally. This plant was only discovered in 1992 and described to science in 1996 as Chamaesyce eleanoriae. At that time there were fewer than 500 plants known, all occurring in small populations scattered across the sheer cliffs along the Nā Pali Coast of Kauaʻi. By 2001 the total population had already dropped; only three populations were found, for a total of fewer than 50 plants. The plant was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 2010.

Cyanea crispa is a rare species of flowering plant known by the common names crimped rollandia and Koolau Range rollandia. It is endemic to Oahu, where there are no more than fifty individuals remaining in the Koʻolau Range. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

Cyanea copelandii is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name treetrunk cyanea. It is endemic to Maui, where there are no more than 250 individuals remaining in the wild. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Cyanea it is known as hāhā in Hawaiian.

Cyanea dolichopoda was a species of shrub in the bellflower family that was endemic to Kauai. It was discovered in 1990 and has not been located in the wild since 1992. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

Cyanea eleeleensis was a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name Eleele cyanea. It was endemic to Kauai, where it has been declared extinct. It was federally listed as a critically endangered species of the United States in 2010. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

<i>Cyanea pinnatifida</i> Species of flowering plant

Cyanea pinnatifida is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name sharktail cyanea. It is endemic to Oahu, but it is now extinct in the wild and only exists in cultivation. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

Cyanea procera is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name Molokai cyanea. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Molokaʻi. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

<i>Cyanea remyi</i> Species of flowering plant

Cyanea remyi is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name Remy's cyanea. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Kauai. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Cyanea, it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

<i>Cyanea superba</i> Species of plant

Cyanea superba is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common names Mt. Kaala cyanea and superb cyanea. It is endemic to the island of Oahu, but it is now extinct in the wild. It exists in cultivation and some individuals have been planted in appropriate habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.

Cyrtandra polyantha is a rare species of flowering plant in the African violet family known by the common names Niu Valley cyrtandra. It is endemic to the Hawaii, where it is known only from the Koʻolau Mountains of Oahu. In 2007 there were only two populations containing a total of 46 mature plants, but one of the two populations is made up of a single individual. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1994. Like other Hawaiian Cyrtandra it is called ha`iwale.

Dubautia kenwoodii, the Kalalau rim dubautia, is an "extremely rare" species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Hawaii where it is known only from the island of Kauai. Only one plant has ever been seen: the type specimen. A part of this plant was collected in 1991 and the individual was described as a new species in 1998. It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 2010. Like other Dubautia this plant is known as na`ena`e.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rønsted, N.; Wood, K.; Nyberg, B.; Lorence, D.H. (2020). "Cyanea kuhihewa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T80230488A170393959. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T80230488A170393959.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. USFWS Species Reports: Listed Plants
  3. Cyanea kuhihewa. The Nature Conservancy.
  4. Lammers, T. G. (1996). A new linear-leaved Cyanea (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae) from Kaua'i, and the "rediscovery" of Cyanea linearifolia. Brittonia 48:2 237.
  5. Yanega, D. Cyanea kuhihewa. Archived 2012-05-11 at the Wayback Machine Curious Scientific Names.
  6. Evenhuis, N. L. and L. G. Eldridge, Eds. (2007). Records for the Hawaii Biological Society for 2006. Part 2. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers
  7. Imbler, Sabrina (2020-02-28). "In Kaua'i, Botanists Rediscover an Extinct Plant Once Mistaken for Another Extinct Plant". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2021-01-19.