Tetramolopium arenarium
Encyclopedia
Tetramolopium arenarium is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name Maui tetramolopium. It is endemic to Hawaii
, where it is known only from the island of Hawaii
. It is extirpated
from Maui
. It is threatened by the degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species
of the United States.
This plant was collected in the late 1800s and then not seen again for many decades. It was presumed extinct
until it was rediscovered in 1989 in the Pohakuloa Training Area
on the island of Hawaii. There are five populations containing fewer than 500 individuals.
This shrub
grows 80 to 130 centimeters tall. It is hairy and glandular. The leaves are lance-shaped and toothed or smooth-edged and measure up to 3.7 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
contains up to 11 flower heads
containing white ray florets and maroon disc florets.
Threats to this species include habitat destruction and degradation by feral
ungulate
s such as pigs, and competition from introduced species
of plants such as fountain grass.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name Maui tetramolopium. It is endemic to 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...
, where it is known only from the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
. It is extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
from Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
. It is threatened by the degradation of its habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of the United States.
This plant was collected in the late 1800s and then not seen again for many decades. It was presumed extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
until it was rediscovered in 1989 in the Pohakuloa Training Area
Pohakuloa Training Area
Pōhakuloa Training Area is located on the island of Hawaii in the high plateau between Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the Hualālai volcanic mountains...
on the island of Hawaii. There are five populations containing fewer than 500 individuals.
This shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
grows 80 to 130 centimeters tall. It is hairy and glandular. The leaves are lance-shaped and toothed or smooth-edged and measure up to 3.7 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
contains up to 11 flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
containing white ray florets and maroon disc florets.
Threats to this species include habitat destruction and degradation by feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
ungulate
Ungulate
Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. They make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive...
s such as pigs, and competition from introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
of plants such as fountain grass.