An exciting discovery in Hawaii brings renewed hope that a plant species once thought to be extinct in the wild but now under careful cultivation in a secret location will spark continued efforts to protect biodiversity on the islands.
the flowering plant Delissea argutidentatanative to Hawaii, it was last seen growing in and around a volcano crater in the 1970s. It was common to find them growing in the shadow of giant koalas and along the slopes of ancient volcanoes, but the ancient plant press available to the researchers said that only three plants remained and no regeneration, probably due to land use for grazing cattle.
In 1992, a single plant was found in the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Forest Reserve, but it died in 2002. Some seeds were saved for later cultivation. Delisseaa palm tree with flowers in an upper cluster that can grow up to 10 meters.
A year ago the plant was considered extinct
Until last year, there were no additional sightings and it was thought to be extinct in the wild. But in March 2021, when the plant was found on land now owned by the Kamehameha School District, quick steps were taken to protect the species. Partners from the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and conservationists from the Three Mountain Alliance (TMA) helped identify and protect the plant.
There are now 30 healthy plants growing from seeds that were saved from the newly discovered. They’re growing up in a place that’s kept secret, to help Delissea thrive and re-establish themselves in nature without public attention.
“The rediscovery of Delissea it’s such an important message of hope,” said Colleen Cole, TMA coordinator. “In Hawaii, a lot of attention is paid to loss: loss of species, forests, sacred places, and maybe that’s human nature, but Delissea reminds us to always nurture ourselves and leave room for hope and discovery.”
The TMA employee who first encountered the plant was collecting seeds from other species, planning to use them for a different restoration project. O Delissea was found growing on the dead stump of a Sophora chrysophylla (māmane in Hawaiian), a tree the size of a flowering bush. It looked like three separate floors next to an old fenced-in area used by a previous tenant.
“The remains of a larger individual plant were visible inside the enclosure,” the organizations said in a joint press release released this week. “Over the past year, officials from all three organizations have taken steps to protect the small population of plants and safeguard their genetics.”
Only 2 of the 16 species remain
Of the 16 recognized species of Delissea 14 are extinct and the remaining two are in endangered. the rediscovery of Delissea argutidentata brought euphoria for their survival, but also underscores the need for partnerships to protect biodiversity.
“The Kamehameha Schools have been successful in managing native ecosystems as a whole, but what’s really exciting is that this is the first step towards a much greater focus on rare species recovery,” said Amber Nāmaka Whitehead, Senior Manager of school’s natural resources. District.
“We need both: healthy native ecosystems and each of our rare species. They are vitally important to our Hawaiian cultural identity and our health and well-being as a people.”
By Lauren Fagan Article in English