Lysimachia venosa
Encyclopedia
Lysimachia venosa is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Myrsinaceae
known by the common name veined yellow loosestrife. It is endemic to Hawaii
, where it is known only from the island of Kauai
. The plant was only collected twice, last in 1911, but in 1991 a branch was discovered that had broken off the steep cliffs above the headwaters of the Wailua River
. The branch was from a plant of this species and may have fallen from the summit of Mount Waialeale
. No more specimens have been found since and the plant may be extinct
, but some experts believe it may still exist in unsurveyed parts of the habitat. It was federally listed as an endangered species
of the United States in 2010.
This shrub grows at least half a meter to one meter in height. The oval leaves are up to 10 centimeters long by 4.8 wide. The flowers have dark red petals between 1 and 2 centimeters long.
Myrsinaceae
Myrsinaceae, or the Myrsine family, is a rather large family from the order Ericales. It consists of 35 genera and about 1000 species....
known by the common name veined yellow loosestrife. It is endemic to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where it is known only from the island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
. The plant was only collected twice, last in 1911, but in 1991 a branch was discovered that had broken off the steep cliffs above the headwaters of the Wailua River
Wailua River
The Wailuā River is a river on the island of Kauai in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is formed by the confluence of its North and South forks just west of Wailua and enters the Pacific Ocean at . It is the only navigable river in the Hawaiian Islands...
. The branch was from a plant of this species and may have fallen from the summit of Mount Waialeale
Mount Waialeale
Mount Waialeale at an elevation of , is a shield volcano and the second highest point on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. Averaging more than of rain a year since 1912, with a record in 1982, its summit is one of the rainiest spots on earth....
. No more specimens have been found since and the plant may be extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
, but some experts believe it may still exist in unsurveyed parts of the habitat. It was federally listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of the United States in 2010.
This shrub grows at least half a meter to one meter in height. The oval leaves are up to 10 centimeters long by 4.8 wide. The flowers have dark red petals between 1 and 2 centimeters long.