Euphorbia rockii
Encyclopedia
Euphorbia rockii is a rare species of flowering plant in the euphorb family
known by the common names Koolau Range sandmat and Rock's broomspurge. It is endemic to Oahu
, Hawaii
, where it is known only from the Koolau Mountains. There are 200 to 300 plants remaining. Like other Hawaiian euphorbs, this plant is known locally as akoko.
The remaining plants exist in fewer than 10 subpopulations on the peaks of the Koolau Mountains, where they often grow in wet forests and shrublands. The plant is threatened by the destruction and degradation of its habitat. The main agents of damage to the habitat are feral pigs and non-native plant species
such as strawberry guava (Psidium littorale) and Koster's curse
(Clidemia hirta).
This is a federally listed endangered species
of the United States.
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
known by the common names Koolau Range sandmat and Rock's broomspurge. It is endemic to Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where it is known only from the Koolau Mountains. There are 200 to 300 plants remaining. Like other Hawaiian euphorbs, this plant is known locally as akoko.
The remaining plants exist in fewer than 10 subpopulations on the peaks of the Koolau Mountains, where they often grow in wet forests and shrublands. The plant is threatened by the destruction and degradation of its habitat. The main agents of damage to the habitat are feral pigs and non-native plant species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
such as strawberry guava (Psidium littorale) and Koster's curse
Clidemia hirta
Clidemia hirta, commonly called soapbush or Koster's Curse, is a perennial shrub.It is an invasive plant species in many tropical regions of the world, creating serious damage.-Distribution:...
(Clidemia hirta).
This is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of the United States.