GastoniaCommerson ex Lamarck is a formerly accepted genus of plants in the ivy and ginseng family, Araliaceae. It had been known as an unnatural group, but was recognized as late as 2010, when its nine species were distributed to four different subgenera of the large genus Polyscias. Because the genus Gastonia is now obsolete, its species are herein referred to by their names in Polyscias.
Polyscias racemosa, or false 'ohe, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. As Munroidendron racemosum, the species was until recently considered to be the only species in the monotypic genus Munroidendron. With the change in classification, Munroidendron is now obsolete. Polyscias racemosa is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It is very rare in the wild and some of its original habitat has been replaced by sugar cane plantations. It was thought for some time to be probably extinct, but was rediscovered a few years prior to 1967.
Eremurus robustus, the foxtail lily or giant desert candle, is a species of flowering plant in the asphodel family, native to the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains in Central Asia, that is often used as an ornamental plant.
Acalypha rubrinervis is an extinct plant in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), from the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It was called string tree on account of the thin pendulous inflorescences which resembled red strings. Disturbance following human settlement on the island destroyed its habitat and it was last seen in the 19th century. It is thus one of a number of island plants to have been driven to extinction by human activity.
Reynoldsia is a formerly recognised genus of plants in the ivy family, Araliaceae. In 2003, Kew Gardens published a checklist for Araliaceae, in which eight species were recognized for Reynoldsia: four from Samoa, two from Tahiti, one from the Marquesas, and one from Hawaii. In 2010, a phylogenetic comparison of DNA data showed that Reynoldsia was polyphyletic, consisting of two groups that are not each other's closest relatives. In a companion paper, three of the species were "sunk" into synonymy with others, reducing the number of species to five. All species that were formerly in Reynoldsia are now in Polyscias subgenus Tetraplasandra, a subgenus of 21 species indigenous to Malesia and the Pacific islands.
Colvillea is a monotypic genus of legume in the family Fabaceae. Its only species is Colvillea racemosa. The genus is named for Sir Charles Colville, an ex Governor of Mauritius.
The wildlife of Mauritius consists of its flora and fauna. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. Due to its isolation, it has a relatively low diversity of wildlife; however, a high proportion of these are endemic species occurring nowhere else in the world. Many of these are now threatened with extinction because of human activities including habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native species. Some have already become extinct, most famously the dodo which disappeared in the 17th century.
Polyscias rodriguesiana is a rare species of plant in the family Araliaceae.
Macaranga grandifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. Common names for this plant include nasturtium tree, parasol leaf tree and bingabing. It is endemic to the Philippines and has been widely cultivated in Hawaii as a tropical ornamental. This plant has become very popular garden ornamental in many parts of the tropics for the extraordinary grandiose leaves, which are rounded-ovate in shape, with prominent, reddish veins and the stem attached towards the center of the leaf blade. The flowers are pinkish red and the males are held in coral-like, congested inflorescences. Twine made from the bark and the wood was used for fishing spears. The leaves were used to wrap food. Birds eat the ripe fruit.
Macaranga mauritiana is a species of plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is endemic to Mauritius.
Polyscias dichroostachya, commonly called bois d’eponge, is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to Mauritius, where it used to be common in the forests of the south-west of the island.
Polyscias mauritiana is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to Mauritius.
Polyscias neraudiana is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to Mauritius. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Polyscias paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to Mauritius. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Polyscias marchionensis is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia.
Polyscias verrucosa is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to the island of Tahiti in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. It is listed as a species of "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List.
Polyscias gymnocarpa, commonly known as the Koolau Range 'ohe or Koʻolau tetraplasandra, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae, that is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Roussea simplex is a woody climber of 4–6 m high, that is endemic to the mountain forest of Mauritius. It is the only species of the genus Roussea, which is assigned to the family Rousseaceae. It has opposing, entire, obovate, green leaves, with modest teeth towards the tip and mostly pentamerous, drooping flowers with yellowish recurved tepals, and a purse-shaped orange corolla with strongly recurved narrowly triangular lobes.
Diospyros revaughanii is a rare species of tree in the family Ebenaceae (ebony).
Polyscias fulva is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae (ginseng). It is an evergreen or deciduous tree, native to the mountains of tropical Africa and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula.
Young sapling
Canopy of a large specimen on Ile aux Aigrettes, Mauritius
