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Conserving and restoring
America's native plants |
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CPC National Collection Plant Profile
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Hibiscus clayi
| Family: |
Malvaceae (Mallow Family) |
| Common Names: |
Clay's Hibiscus, Newhouse hibiscus |
| Taxon Synonym: |
Hibiscus newhousei |
| Author: |
Degener & I. Degener |
| Growth
Habit: |
Tree |
| CPC
Number: |
2257 |
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| Primary
custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered
Plants is: |
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| David Orr contributed to this Plant Profile. |
Hibiscus clayi
|
Hibiscus clayi is a member of the mallow family (Malvaceae). It is a shrub or tree up to 4 to 8 meters tall with stems bearing sparse hairs at the branch tips. The flowers are borne singly near the ends of the branches are dark red in color. Hibiscus clayi was known from scattered locations on private and State land on the island of Kaua`i, but only the Nounou Mountains population, with four trees is still known to exist.
Before cattle were removed from the area, a great amount of damage was done to the Hisbiscus clayi habitat, which contributed significantly to the species decline. Currently, weeds are the major threat and a hiking trail in close proximity to most of the plants make them prone to human disturbance.
| Distribution
& Occurrence |
|
State Range
Habitat
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Lowland dry forest generally growing on slopes at an elevation of 230 to 350 meters (USFWS 1995) and (Wagner et al. 1999). |
Distribution
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Kaua`i-Nounou Mountain in Wailua to the east (USFWS 1995). |
Number Left
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Kaua`i-Nounou Mountains, 1 population, 4 plants (USFWS 1995, 2001). |
State/Area
Protection
| |
State/Area |
Rank |
Status |
Date |
|
| |
Hawaii |
S1 |
LE |
4/11/2002 |
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| Conservation,
Ecology & Research |
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Ecological
Relationships
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Little is known about the life history of Hibiscus clayi. Flowering cycles, pollination vectors, seed dispersal agents, longevity, specific environmental requirements, and limiting factors are unknown (USFWS 1995). |
Threats
| |
Competition with alien plants.
Human disturbance-a nearby hiking trail.
Stochastic extinction due to small number of existing individuals.
Feral pigs.
(USFWS 1995, 2001) |
Current Research Summary
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Propagation through seeds (USFWS 1995). |
Current Management Summary
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Outplanting of 11 plants at Kalepa and Nounou Forest Reserves (USFWS 1995). |
Research Management Needs
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Fenced exclosure of remaining wild individuals.
Control of feral pigs.
Control of alien plants.
Control human disturbance.
(USFWS 1995) |
Ex Situ Needs
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Genetic studies.
Physiological studies.
Seed banking.
Propagation through- seeds, cuttings, tissue culture to increase genetic stock.
(USFWS 1995) |
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| Books (Single Authors)
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| Wagner, W.L.; Bruegmann, M.M.; Herbst, D.R; Lau, J.Q.C. 1999. Hawaiian Vascular Plants at Risk: 1999. Honolulu, HI: Bishop Museum Press Honolulu. |
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| Wagner, W.L.; Herbst, D.R.; Sohmer, S.H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i--Revised Edition. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press. 1853p. |
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| Journal Articles
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| USFWS. 1976. Proposed Endangered Status for 1700 U.S. Plants. Federal Register. 41: 24523-24572. |
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| USFWS. 1991. Proposed Endangered Status for 23 Plants from the Island of Kauai, HI. Federal Register. 56, 210: 55862-55885. |
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| USFWS. 1994. Determination of Endangered or Threatened Status for 24 Plants from the Island of Kauai, HI. Federal Register. 59, 38: 9304-9329. |
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| USFWS. 2000. Determinations of Whether Designation of Critical Habitat is Prudent for 81 Plants and Proposed Designations for 76 Plants From the Islands of Kauai and Niihau, Hawaii; [Proposed Rule]. Federal Register. 65, 216: 66807-66885. |
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| USFWS. 2002. Revised Determinations of Prudency and Proposed Designations of Critical Habitat for Plant Species from the Islands of Kauai and Niihau, Hawaii. Federal Register. 67, 18: 3940-4098. |
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| Williams, N. 1998. Ecology: Study Finds 10% of Tree Species Under Threat. Science. 281: 1426. |
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| Reports
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| USFWS. 1995. Recovery Plan for the Kaua'i Plant Cluster. Portland, OR: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. p.270. |
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| USFWS. 2001. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species List. March 30, 2000. Honolulu: Unpublished. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. p.19. |
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