Lobelia oahuensis
Encyclopedia
Lobelia oahuensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family
known by the common name Oahu lobelia. It is endemic to Hawaii
, where it is known only from the island of Oahu
. There are about 100 individuals remaining in the Koʻolau Range, and only one known individual in the Waianae Range
. It is federally listed as an endangered species
of the United States.
This plant grows almost exclusively on the high, exposed main ridge of the mountains, where its habitat is the windy slopes of the cloud zone. It is threatened by habitat degradation and predation.
The inflorescence
of this plant is over a meter long and densely packed with blue flowers.
Campanulaceae
The family Campanulaceae , of the order Asterales, contains about 2000 species in 70 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky non-toxic sap...
known by the common name Oahu lobelia. It is endemic to 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 island of 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...
. There are about 100 individuals remaining in the Koʻolau Range, and only one known individual in the Waianae Range
Waianae Range
Waianae Range is the eroded remains of an ancient shield volcano that comprises the western half of the Hawaiian Island of Oahu...
. It is federally listed as an 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.
This plant grows almost exclusively on the high, exposed main ridge of the mountains, where its habitat is the windy slopes of the cloud zone. It is threatened by habitat degradation and predation.
The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
of this plant is over a meter long and densely packed with blue flowers.