Ischaemum byrone

Ischaemum byrone
in Haleakalā National Park, Maui

Imperiled  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Ischaemum
Species: I. byrone
Binomial name
Ischaemum byrone
(Trin.) Hitchc.

Ischaemum byrone is a rare species of grass known by the common name Hilo murainagrass, or Hilo ischaemum. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is present on Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii. It was known from Oahu but it is now extirpated there.[1] There are perhaps 1000 to 3000 individual plants remaining in total.[1] This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

This grass is perennial, spreading via stolons, with stems reaching up to 80 centimeters in maximum height.[1] It usually grows at the coastline, often in cracks in the lava cliffs.[2]

On the island of Hawaii there are at least four populations and perhaps more scattered occurrences. At least one large occurrence has been recently destroyed by a lava flow at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.[3] There are at least five occurrences on Kauai and six on Maui with up to several thousand plants existing.[3] On Molokai a 1994 count estimated about 1000 individuals.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ischaemum byrone.

Threats to this species include volcanism, development, trampling, non-native plants, fire, and off-road vehicles.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 I. byrone. The Nature Conservancy.
  2. I. byrone. Colorado State.
  3. 1 2 3 USFWS. I. byrone Five-year Review. August 2010.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, July 05, 2013. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.