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Plant Profile

(Cyanea kauaulaensis)

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Campanulaceae
State: HI
Nature Serve ID: 935025
Lifeform: Vine, Shrub
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Recently deemed its own species in 2012, this species of Cyanea has an abundance of white salverform flowers on each stalk that produces orange fleshy fruits. At up to 4 meters in height, this species does not measure up to other Cyanea species, but it does form runners of its bent branches to increase its cover. This newer species is not yet listed on the IUCN Red List, but faces major threats such as floods, landslides, invasive species, and the gradual population decline of its own avian pollinators and seed dispersers. (Oppenheimer and Lorence, 2012)

Where is (Cyanea kauaulaensis) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species is found on the leeward side of talus or basalt boulder strewn slopes along perennial streams from 700 to 900 meters.

Distribution:

It's only known range is in the leeward-side valleys of west Maui, even named for the Kaua'ula Valley of that area.

States & Provinces:

can be found in Hawaii

Which CPC Partners conserve (Cyanea kauaulaensis)?

Harold L. Lyon Arboretum

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

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

10/11/2020

Conservation measures such as re-introductions, captive breeding/artificial propagation and the placement of seed into the genome resource bank are all currently taking place.

10/11/2020

Conservation measures such as re-introductions, captive breeding/artificial propagation and the placement of seed into the genome resource bank are all currently taking place.

10/11/2020

Conservation measures such as re-introductions, captive breeding/artificial propagation and the placement of seed into the genome resource bank are all currently taking place.

Nellie Sugii, Kahoali`i K. Keahi-Wood

07/15/2017

Threats to their species' survival include the low numbers of occurrences and individuals, its limited range, poor seedling recruitment, and loss of pollinators and dispersal agents (Oppenheimer and Lorence 2012, pp. 2021; Duvall 2015, in litt.). Rats and slugs are alsonoted as a threat to Cyanea species.

Nellie Sugii, Kahoali`i K. Keahi-Wood

07/15/2017

This species is federally and state listed as endangered. Conservation measures such as re-introductions, captive breeding/artificial propagation and the placement of seed into the genome resource bank are all currently taking place.

Nellie Sugii, Kahoali`i K. Keahi-Wood

07/15/2017

Ex-situ collection needs include development of proper horticultural and pest management protocols, surveys of ex situ holdings and conduct molecular fingerprinting, conducting of pollination biology and seed dispersal studies, as well as seed storage and propagation for restoration and outplanting.

Nellie Sugii, Kahoali`i K. Keahi-Wood

07/13/2017

One population remains with fewer than 50 individuals left in the wild in Maui.