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Rare & Endangered Hawaiian
Plants
| Approximately 1000 species of flowering plants
are native to the Hawaiian Islands, 89% of which are endemic to the
region. Many of Hawaii's endemic plants have been driven to
extinction due to a number of human-induced forces including
deforestation, urbanization, agriculture, ranching, over-harvesting,
alien species, and disease. Some may have been common at one time
or limited to a few individuals. Presumably a few had already been
driven to extinction before Western contact. Efforts to protect
these remnants include the Endangered Species
Act, creation of National
Wildlife Refuges, State
Natural
Area Reserves, private preserves (TNC), fencing to exclude mammals,
invasive species control. Propagation efforts by botanical
gardens, nurseries & private citizens allow many of these rarities to survive and be appreciated. |
Family Fabaceae
Bean Family
Sesbania tomentosa
 
'OHAI
| Endangered shrub formerly common on coastal dunes, and rocky
outcrops. Has silvery leaves coated with dense hairs to reflect
sunlight. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Acacia koaia
KOAI'A
| Rare endangered tree of dry forests of Hawaii, Maui, Lana'i, &
Moloka'i. Distinguished from Acacia koa by its small
contorted form, shorter, straighter phyllodes, smaller pods, and
extremely hard wood. |
Family
Asteraceae
Daisy Family
Tetramolopium humile subsp.
haleakalae 
TETRAMOLOPIUM
| Dwarf shrub uncommon in crevices in subalpine & alpine zone of
Haleakala, Maui. |
Argyroxiphium sandwicense
subsp. macrocephalum
HALEAKALA SILVERSWORD 'AHINAHINA
| Scattered on cinder in alpine zone of Haleakala on Maui. Narrow
leaves' silver hairs reflect UV radiation and gel-filled core stores
moisture. Blooms once then dies. Threatened with extinction
due to grazing, habitat alteration, trampling of delicate root system,
and loss of natural pollinators. Endangered subspecies sandwicense
occurs on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyroxiphium
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0903b.htm
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Family Goodeniaceae
Naupaka Family
Scaevola coriacea
DWARF NAUPAKA
| Prostrate perennial of consolidated coastal dunes. Succulent
leaves 1 - 2 inches long. Formerly found on the main islands but
nearly extinct due to habitat alteration or loss. Federally
Endangered. |
Family Santalaceae
Sandalwood Family
Santalum ellipticum var.
littorale
COAST SANDALWOOD 'ILI'AHIALO'E
| Endemic sprawling shrub of rocky coastal areas. Leaves are very
thick with a waxy coating. Threatened due to loss of habitat by urbanization. |
Family Rubiaceae
Coffee Family
Gardenia brighamii
NANU or NA'U
| Small endangered tree from dry forests of Oahu to Hawaii. Flower
about 2 inches in diameter. Only a
few wild plants remaining but widely cultivated. |
Family Malvaceae
Hibiscus Family
Hibiscus arnottianus subsp.
immaculatus
MOLOKA'I WHITE HIBISCUS KOKI'O KE'OKE'O
| Endangered and
native to Moloka'i's Wailau Valley. Has a white staminal column and
shiny, toothed leaves. |
Hibiscus clayi
Koko Crater, Oahu |
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KOKI'O 'ULA
| Rare endangered shrub or small tree from dry forests of
eastern Kaua'i. Flowers & leaves smaller than H. kokio.
Acuminate leaves usually have smooth margins. Formerly known
as H. newhousei. |
Hibiscus kokio subsp.
kokio
KOKI'O 'ULA
| Rare shrub or small tree of dry & wet forests from Kaua'i to
Hawaii Flowers & leaves larger than H. clayi. Leaves
usually have toothed margins. Replaced by subsp. saintjohnianus
in NW Kaua'i. |
Hibiscus kokio subsp.
saintjohnianus
Hoomaluhia, Kaneohe, Oahu
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Kapiolani Garden, Oahu |
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KOKI'O
| Rare shrub or small tree from dry & mesic forests of NW Kaua'i.
Flowers red-orange to yellow. |
Hibiscus brackenridgei subsp.
brackenridgei
MA'O HAU HELE
| Endangered shrub or small tree from dry forests of Moloka'i, Lana'i,
Maui, & Hawaii. Young stems, calices, & leaf undersides covered
with short velvety hairs. |
Hibiscus brackenridgei subsp.
mokuleianus
MA'O HAU HELE
| Endangered shrub or small tree from dry forests of Kaua'i & Oahu.
Young stems & calyx covered with sharp, stinging hairs, leaves somewhat shiny. |
Family
Campanulaceae
Lobelia Family
Brighamia rockii
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Kapi'olani Flower Garden, Oahu
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ALULA HAHA PUA 'ALA
| Endangered succulent plant inhabiting windward sea cliffs of Moloka'i
& Maui. Flowers are white. Kaua'i's Brighamia
insignis has yellow flowers. |
Family Euphorbiaceae
Spurge Family
Chamaesyce degeneri
'AKOKO
| Endemic sprawling perennial uncommon along isolated rocky coasts & dunes. |
Chamaesyce celastroides var.
kaenana
'AKOKO
| A rare shrub restricted to talus slopes at Ka'ena Point on Oahu. An
endangered subspecies. |
Chamaesyce deppeana
'AKOKO
| Very rare sub shrub on windswept cliffs at Oahu's Nu'uanu Pali Lookout.
Thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1986. Leaves lack
hairs, with rounded apex & finely serrate margins. Flowers 1.5
- 3mm wide, nearly sessile in leaf axil. |
Family Amaranthaceae
Amaranth Family
Achyranthes splendens var.
rotundata
ACHYRANTHES
| Rare coastal shrub on dry rocky slopes & coral plains. An
endangered species occurring from Oahu to Maui. |
Nototrichium humile
Kapi'olani Garden, Oahu
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KULU'I
| Endangered shrub in dry forests, slopes, & cliffs of NW Oahu &
East Maui. |
Family Thymelaeaceae
Akia Family
Wikstroemia uva-ursi
Waikiki Aquarium
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Koko Crater, Oahu |
Kapi'olani Garden, Oahu
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WCC, Kane'ohe, Oahu |
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WCC, Kane'ohe, Oahu |
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'AKIA
| Endemic sprawling shrub rare on windy coastal cliffs & lowlands.
A popular ornamental in cultivation. |
Family
Rhamnaceae
Buckthorn Family
Colubrina oppositifolia
KAUILA or KAUWILA
| Rare endangered tree of dry & mesic forests of West Oahu &
Hawaii. Prominent glands on underside of leaves. Extremely
hard wood was used in place of metal by Hawaiians. The name Kauila
is also used for Alphitonia ponderosa, another member of this
family endemic to Hawaii. |
Family
Arecaceae
Palm Family
Pritchardia remota
Koko Crater, Oahu |
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NIHOA FAN PALM
Family Portulacaceae
Pigweed Family
Portulaca molokiniensis
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UH Manoa Campus |
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'IHI
| Rare from Molokini & two locations on Kaho'olawe. Endemic to
Hawaii. |
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Pink Family
Schiedea adamantis
| Small shrub up to 3 feet tall. Federally listed Endangered
Species. A single wild population inhabits steep NW slopes of
Leahi (Diamond Head). A brush fire could destroy this rare plant. |
Schiedea globosa
| Succulent woody herb uncommon on coastal cliffs of SE Oahu, North
Moloka'i, and Maui. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Family Ruscaceae
Money Tree Family
Pleomele hawaiiensis
HAWAII ISLAND HALAPEPE
| Rare in dry forests from Puna to Ka'upulehu. Endemic to the
island of Hawaii. |
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