''Labordia pumila'', the Kauai labordia, is a rare
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...
in the
Loganiaceae
The Loganiaceae are a family of flowering plants classified in order Gentianales. The family includes up to 13 genera, distributed around the world's tropics. There are not any great morphological characteristics to distinguish these taxa from ...
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
to
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...
, where it is found only on
Kauai. It is a federally listed
endangered species of the United States. Like other ''
Labordia
''Labordia'' is a genus of plant in family Loganiaceae. There are 16 species all endemic to Hawaii.Motley, T. J. and G. D. Carr. (1998)Artificial hybridization in the Hawaiian endemic genus ''Labordia''. Am J Bot 85:5 654-60. It is closely relate ...
'' species, this plant is known as ''Kamakahala''.
[USFWS]
Species List: Endangered Plants.
/ref>
There are only three remaining populations of this species, all on the Alakai Plateau, including one at the summit of Mount Waiʻaleʻale. Estimates of the total global population are generally around 800 or 900 but the number could be as high as 6000.[USFWS]
Determination of Endangered Status for 48 Species on Kauai and Designation of Critical Habitat; Final Rule.
''Federal Register'' April 13, 2010.
This is a shrub producing cymes of up to 15 orange flowers.[''Labordia pumila''.]
The Nature Conservancy. It grows in the typical bog
A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
habitat of the Alakai Plateau.[
This plant is threatened by ]feral
A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...
ungulate
Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Ungulata which primarily consists of large mammals with hooves. These include odd-toed ungulates such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs; and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraff ...
s, such as wild boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
s, and the introduction
Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to:
General use
* Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music
* Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and ...
of invasive species
An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...
of plants.[
]
References
pumila
Endemic flora of Hawaii
Biota of Kauai
{{Gentianales-stub