Brighamia rockii

1

Brighamia rockii, known as the Molokai ohaha or Pua ala in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae, that is endemic to the island of Molokai in Hawaii. Pua ala inhabits mesic shrublands and forests on rocky cliffs from sea level to 470 m on the island's northern windward coast. Associated plants include ōhia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), alahee (Psydrax odorata), lama (Diospyros sandwicensis), ūlei (Osteomeles anthyllidifolia), and naupaka (Scaevola gaudichaudii). Pua ala reaches a height of 1 - 5 m and has a succulent, trunk-like stem that tapers from the base. The oval-shaped leaves are 6 - 22 cm long and 1 - 15 cm wide and form a rosette on the top of the plant. Each inflorescence contains three to eight trumpet-shaped white flowers.

Conservation

Pua ala has been extirpated from the islands of Lānai and Maui. Threats to its survival include habitat loss, competition with alien plants, predation by goats and deer, and a lack of pollinators. There are five occurrences of the plant remaining in the wild, with a total estimated population of fewer than 200. It is federally listed as an endangered species. It is now pollinated by the introduced hawk moth Daphnis nerii. Some individuals have been cultivated and planted in their native habitat.

This article is derived from Wikipedia and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. View the original article.

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
Bliptext is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wikipedia or the Wikimedia Foundation.

Edit article