Hawaii's threatened Ohi'a

If you've traveled in Hawaii, you might have taken photographs of the Ohi'a lehua, a native species that can be found blooming and producing seed even in the midst of a field of lava rock. Though its appearance can be quite variable, there's an example here: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2656436 . I'd encourage you to post any such observations, no matter how long ago.
As of 2014, the Ohi'a has become direly threatened by an alien fungal pathogen, Ceratocystis fimbriata. Efforts are being made to contain the blight. Let's hope the treasured native plant can hold on. A news item appears here: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/354/6310/273

Plant description here: http://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/637/metrosideros-polymorpha-ohia-lehua/

由使用者 ellen5 在 2017年01月24日 23:58 所貼文