Dubautia plantaginea

Dubautia plantaginea is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name plantainleaf dubautia. It is endemic to Hawaii where it is the only member of the silversword alliance that is found on all six of the largest islands (Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Maui, Hawai'i).[1] Two of the three subspecies are rare and endangered.[2] Like other Dubautia this plant is called na`ena`e.[3]

Dubautia plantaginea
ssp. plantaginea on Maui

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Dubautia
Species:
D. plantaginea
Binomial name
Dubautia plantaginea

This plant varies in morphology, taking the form of a small shrub to a tree up to 7 meters tall.[1] There are three subspecies.[4] The dwarf subspecies, ssp. humilis, is endemic to Maui, where there is only one population consisting of about 50 plants.[4] This subspecies was federally listed as an endangered species in 1999.[5] The ssp. magnifolia is a shrub or a tree which is endemic to Kaua'i, where there are no more than 2 populations remaining. It was listed as endangered in 2010.[6]

These plants grow in moist and wet forest habitat with 75 to over 700 centimeters of precipitation annually.[1]

Threats to this species and its habitat include landslides, rockslides, erosion, flooding, and invasive plant species such as Hilo grass (Paspalum conjugatum).[4] The ssp. magnifolia was decimated by Hurricane Iniki in 1992.[6]

References
  1. Carr, G. D. Dubautia plantaginea. Hawaiian Silverswords.
  2. Dubautia pauciflorula. The Nature Conservancy.
  3. USFWS. Species Reports: Listed Plants.
  4. USFWS. Dubautia plantaginea ssp. humilis Five-year Review. July 2009.
  5. USFWS. ETWP; Final Endangered Status for 10 Plant Taxa From Maui Nui, HI. Federal Register September 3, 1999.
  6. USFWS. Determination of endangered status for 48 species on Kauai and designation of critical habitat; Final rule. April 13, 2010.
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