Argyroxiphium virescens
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Argyroxiphium virescens (English common name : "Maui Greensword") is an extinct plant species that was endemic to the east of the Hawaiian island of Maui . It occurred in semi-arid or damp forests at altitudes between 1600 and 2300 m on the eastern slope of the Haleakalā volcano and in Koolau Gap . The species was probably closely related to the silver sword species Argyroxiphium kauense and Argyroxiphium grayanum .
description
Argyroxiphium virescens was a " Schopfbaum ", similar to Lobelia rhynchopetalum or Senecio keniodendron with an unbranched trunk that ended in an inflorescence up to 1.5 meters high . The green leaves were linear-sword-shaped, flattened, five- to nine-veined, 3.5 to 6.5 millimeters wide and 17 to 30 centimeters long. The flowering time was in August. The annual inflorescence consisted of 20 to 120 flower heads . There were eight to eleven millimeters long achenes formed.
The plants of the genus Argyroxiphium usually need a few years until the rosettes of the "crested trees" have accumulated enough energy to produce an inflorescence. After the blossoms have formed and the fruits ripen, the "Schopftrees" die, which means death for plants with a single rosette and probably also applied to Argyroxiphium virescens .
die out
The reason for the extinction of the species was probably overgrazing by cattle, pigs and goats. The last copy was seen in 1945.
In 1989 a plant was found in the vicinity of the former range of Argyroxiphium virescens , which was possibly a hybrid of this species and Argyroxiphium sandwicense macrocephalum . However, this putative hybrid died in the culture in 1996.
literature
- Walton Beacham: World Wildlife Fund Guide to Extinct Species of Modern Times. 1997, ISBN 0-9338-3340-7 .
Web links
- Argyroxiphium virescens in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Bruegmann, MM & Caraway, V., 2003. Accessed June 24 of 2007.
- Argyroxiphium virescens Hillebrand ( Memento from June 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- Argyroxiphium virescens Greensword ( Memento from July 3, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- Entry at Natureserve