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Plant Profile

Hidden-petaled Abutilon (Abutilon eremitopetalum)

This closeup shot shows the heart-shaped leaves and the flowers growing from the leaf axils. Photo Credit: Nellie Sugii

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Malvaceae
State: HI
Nature Serve ID: 157878
Lifeform: Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 01/01/1998

Description:

Abutilon eremitopetalum is endemic to the dry forest habitats of Lana`i. Since its discovery in the 1930's, it has always been very rare and has been known only in small, widely scattered colonies. By the early 1980s, the taxon was generally considered extinct. In 1987, 60-70 plants were discovered on a slope in Kahea Gulch. Today, this population still exists with approximately 100 individuals. Abutilon eremitopetalum is in the mallow family (Malvaceae). It is a shrub with grayish-green, densely hairy, heart-shaped leaves that are 7-12 cm long. The flowers of this plant are cup-shaped and borne one or two on stems arising from the leaf axil. This unusual flower has petals that are bright green on the upper surface and reddish on the on the lower surface that are hidden within the calyx.

Where is Hidden-petaled Abutilon (Abutilon eremitopetalum) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Dry forest, 240 to 320 meters elevation (USFWS 1995).

Distribution:

Found only on the island of Lana`i in Kahea Gulch (USFWS 1995).

States & Provinces:

Hidden-petaled Abutilon can be found in Hawaii

Which CPC Partners conserve Hidden-petaled Abutilon (Abutilon eremitopetalum)?

Waimea Arboretum Foundation

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

Harold L. Lyon Arboretum

Not Sponsored

Assigned 07/20/23

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

07/31/2020

Propagation. Genetic studies. Physiological studies. Seed banking and germplasm preservation. (USFWS 1995)

07/31/2020

Propagation. Genetic studies. Physiological studies. Seed banking and germplasm preservation. (USFWS 1995)

07/31/2020

Seed storage. Propagation via seed. (USFWS 1995)

07/31/2020

Ex situ plantings at Waimea Arboretum, National Tropical Botanical Garden and Amy Greenwell Botanical Garden (USFWS 1995).

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Endemic to the windward side of the island of Lanai. Only one population is currently known. When first discovered in 1987, this population consisted of 60-70 plants, but by the mid-1990's it had been more than halved. However, the population has since been fenced from introduced deer, and there has been abundant recruitment within the exclosure. In addition to deer, the species is threatened by introduced mouflon sheep and alien plants.

David Orr

01/01/2010

Alien plant competition. Browsing and trampling by axis deer. Fire. Stochastic extinction caused by low numbers. Drought. Possibly mismanagement. Loss of pollinators. (USFWS 1995)

David Orr

01/01/2010

Lana`i, 1 population, approximately 100 individuals (USFWS 2001).

David Orr

01/01/2010

Seed storage. Propagation via seed. (USFWS 1995)

David Orr

01/01/2010

Ex situ plantings at Waimea Arboretum, National Tropical Botanical Garden and Amy Greenwell Botanical Garden (USFWS 1995).

David Orr

01/01/2010

Fencing of remaining population. Weed control. Monitoring. Fire protection. (USFWS 1995) and (USFWS 2001)

David Orr

01/01/2010

Propagation. Genetic studies. Physiological studies. Seed banking and germplasm preservation. (USFWS 1995)