Studia Mirabilium

While my core philosophy is that we all share this planet, it does have its drawbacks. Namely, some people don’t share very well or care to. Here, someone broke a rare Clermontia kakeana in half. This is a good example why we’re working on making sure that the populations are vigorous enough. The extinction factor should be something other than just some young George Washington wannabe. The best part is this particular oha wai doesn’t want to be that cherry tree either; it is starting to grow new shoots. Resiliency, thy name is Clermontia!

Clermontia hawaiiensis

• Hawaiian Name: Oha kepau, Oha wai nui
• Conservation Status: Vulnerable
• Distribution: Hawaii (Puna & Kau District)
• Date photographed: May 28, 2012
• *Identification: Form– Shrubs 1.5-9 m tall Leaves– oblong to oblanceolate; blades 9-24 cm long by 2.5-6.5 cm wide; margins callose-crenulate; petioles 2-7 cm long. Flower– hypanthium obconical, 17-22 mm long, 11-18 mm wide, prominently 10-ridged; perinath greenish-white, 50-65 mm long, 9-18 mm wide
• My notes: Something that I missed the first time I went to Kipuka Puaulu, several C. hawaiiensis have been outplanted along the trail. They weren’t looking the healthiest, and judging from the commentary on flickr, these plants haven’t been looking the best for a little while.
• Links: Smithsonian Flora of the Hawaiian Islands, UH Botany, Native Hawaiian Plants- Clermontia, Flickr -Clermontia hawaiiensis
• Additional Photos:

*From Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai’i