Munroidendron racemosum (commonly known as Pokulakalaka), the sole species in the genus Munroidendron, is an extremely rare flowering plant

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

 in the ivy

Ivy

Ivy, plural ivies is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan.-Description:On level ground they...

 family, Araliaceae

Araliaceae

Araliaceae is a family of flowering plants, also known as the Aralia family or Ivy family. The family includes 254 species of trees, shrubs, lianas and perennial herbaceous plants into 2 subfamilies...

, that is endemic to the island of Kauai

Kauai

Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...

 in Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

.

Description

Pokulakalaka is a small tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

 growing to 25 ft (7.6 m) tall, with a straight trunk, spreading branches, and smooth, gray bark. Its leaves

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 are pinnate, 12 in (30.5 cm) long, with oval leaflets, each of which is over 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. These trees drop most of their leaves during their summer blooming season. Its small, pale yellow flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...

s hang in long, rope-like strands.

Habitat and range

M. racemosum occurs in coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of 120–400 m (393.7–1,312.3 ft), where it grows on exposed cliffs and ridges. Associated plant species include papala kepau (Pisonia umbellifera

Pisonia umbellifera

Pisonia umbellifera, commonly known as the Bird-lime Tree, is a species of plant in the Nyctaginaceae family. It grows throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is native to the Andaman Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Hawaii and Madagascar and the...

), āwikiwiki (Canavalia

Canavalia

Canavalia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family and comprises approximately 70-75 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of Canavalia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands were named āwikiwiki by the Native Hawaiians...

 galeata), ilima (Sida fallax

Sida fallax

Sida fallax, known as ilima in Hawaiian, is a species of herbaceous flowering plant in the Hibiscus family, Malvaceae, that occurs on most of the Pacific Islands. The flowers are small, in diameter, have five petals, and are a golden yellow in color. Plants may be erect or prostrate and are found...

), ōlulu (Brighamia insignis

Brighamia insignis

Brighamia insignis, commonly known as Ōlulu or Alula in Hawaiian, or colloquially as cabbage on a stick, is a critically endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It is native to the islands of Kauai and Niihau...

), alahee (Psydrax odorata

Psydrax odorata

Psydrax odorata, known as Alahee in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering shrub or small tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is native to the Pacific Islands, Malesia and Australasia...

), kōpiko (Psychotria

Psychotria

Psychotria is a plant genus of 1900 species in the family Rubiaceae. Members of the genus are low trees in tropical forests. The distinction between Psychotria and the genus Cephaelis are not well known and many species were formerly placed there....

spp.), olopua (Nestegis sandwicensis

Nestegis sandwicensis

Nestegis sandwicensis, commonly known as Olopua, is a species of flowering tree in the olive family, Oleaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is found on all major islands at elevations of in coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests, and, especially, dry forests...

), ahakea (Bobea timonioides

Bobea timonioides

Ahakea is a species of flowering tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It inhabits dry, coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of on the islands of Hawaii and Maui. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* Bruegmann, M.M. & Caraway, V. 2003. . ...

), hala pepe (Pleomele aurea

Pleomele aurea

Pleomele aurea is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the island of Kauai in Hawaii. It inhabits coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of . It is a small evergreen tree, usually tall, but sometimes reaches . The gray, straight trunk does not have bark and is in...

), and ālaa (Pouteria

Pouteria

Pouteria is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. The genus is widespread throughout the tropical regions of the world. It includes the Canistel , the Mamey Sapote and the Lúcuma...

 sandwicensis

Pouteria sandwicensis

Pouteria sandwicensis is a species of flowering tree in the sapodilla family, Sapotaceae, that is endemic to the main islands of Hawaii. Names for this species in the Hawaiian language include Ālaa, Āulu and Ēlaa....

). It occurs naturally in only three locations on Kauai: Nounou Mountain

Sleeping Giant (Kauai)

Sleeping Giant, also known as Nounou Mountain, is a mountain ridge located west of the towns Wailua and Kapaa in the Nounou Forest Reserve on the Hawaiian island of Kauai...

, the cliffs of the Nā Pali Coast

Na Pali Coast State Park

Nā Pali Coast State Park encompasses of land and is located in the center of the rugged along the northwest side of Kauai, the oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest starting at Kee Beach extending all the way to Polihale State Park. The pali rise as high as...

, and Haupu Ridge near Nāwiliwili Bay

Nawiliwili Beach Park

Nawiliwili Beach Park is a beach park and port on the south-east coast of the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands.It is located on Nāwiliwili Bay at , about south of Līhue. It is at the south end of Hawaii Route 51, known as Rice Street. Just to the west is Niumalu Beach Park....

.