A different follow-up to the recent posting on Delphinium menziesii, this one due to scientific name instead of place. Thanks to David Eickhoff for commenting in that entry about some of the Hawaiian species named for Menzies.
Known as koʻoloaʻula in Hawaiian, Abutilon menziesii is federally-listed in the USA as a critically endangered species. Somewhere around 500 plants remain in the wild, spread across four of the Hawaiian islands. Depending on how one views such things, it is perhaps more accurate to say three islands; the wild population on the island of Hawai’i has disappeared, and it is now only present there due to plantings in managed wildlife preserves. It is native to dry forests; challenges to its continued survival across its range include: “grazing from goats, deer and cattle, competition with alien plant species, invertebrate predation, and possibly fire”.
As David notes on his Flickr page descriptions, plants can possess flower colours from purplish-red to red to pink with white as well as blond. Red is apparently the most common colour form, which David has also photographed: Abutilon menziesii.
The first photograph was taken during my visit to the now-closed Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden. I was fortunate enough to spend time in the garden twice during the week prior to the gardens closing to the public (unbeknownst to me when I first stepped in!). A Friends Group is working on finding a long-term administrative home for (what I consider to be) an excellent small educational garden.
Spectacular closeups!
Yes, and I really appreciate the shot of the whole plant, as well as the anecdotal information!
Yes its great to have a full profile of the plants all in one email. Wonderful work keep it up.