Cyrtandra heinrichii
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image=Cyrtandra heinrichii (lava cyrtandra) (24990101304).jpg
|status=EN
|status_system=IUCN3.1
|status_ref={{r|iucn}}
|genus=Cyrtandra
|species=heinrichii
|authority=H. St. John
}}
Cyrtandra heinrichii, known as ha'iwale or lava cyrtandra, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Gesneriaceae. It is found on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.{{Cite journal|last1=Wagner|first1=Warren L.|last2=Wood|first2=Kenneth R.|last3=Lorence|first3=David H.|date=Spring 2001|title=A New Species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/partpdf/122168|journal=Novon|volume=11|issue=1|pages=146|doi=10.2307/3393224|jstor=3393224}}{{Cite web|title=Plants Profile for Cyrtandra heinrichii (lava cyrtandra)|url=https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CYHE6|access-date=2020-09-12|website=plants.usda.gov}}
Description
Cyrtandra heinrichii is a shrub that usually grows by waterfalls on walls of basalt. They are also found in shrubland and wet, tropical or sub-tropical forests dominated by Metrosideros. This species can usually be found with ferns at altitudes between 730m and 1,350m.{{Cite web|last1=Merlin Edmonds (National Tropical Botanical Garden|first1=Hawaii|last2=David Lorence (National Tropical Botanical Garden|first2=Hawaii|date=2015-08-12|title=ha'iwale, Cyrtandra heinrichii|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/80231759/80231775|access-date=2020-09-22|website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species}}
This species is closely related to Cyrtandra wawrae.{{Cite journal|last1=Johnson|first1=Melissa A.|last2=Pillon|first2=Yohan|last3=Sakishima|first3=Tomoko|last4=Price|first4=Donald K.|last5=Stacy|first5=Elizabeth A.|date=2019|title=Multiple colonizations, hybridization and uneven diversification in Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) lineages on Hawai'i Island|journal=Journal of Biogeography|language=en|volume=46|issue=6|pages=1178–1196|doi=10.1111/jbi.13567|s2cid=145877685 |issn=1365-2699|url=https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02626131 }}
Conservation and threats
Cyrtandra heinrichii is listed as endangered by the IUCN.{{r|iucn}} It occupies an area of 10km2. There are estimated to be between 250 and 1,000 mature individuals left in the declining population, fragmented into 9 subpopulations.{{r|iucn}} Part of the species range lies within a Natural Area Reserve.{{r|iucn}}
Damage to the plant by slugs and rodents, habitat destruction from wild pigs, and invasive plants species all pose a serious threat to this taxon. These invasive species compete with lava cyrtandra for resources. Such plant species include, but are not exclusive to:{{r|iucn}}
- Erigeron karvinskianus
- Hedychium gardnerianum
- Clidemia hirta
- Cyathea cooperi
- Andropogon virginicus
- Rubus rosifolius
- Blechnum appendiculatum
- Pterolepis glomerata
- Erechtites valerianifolius
In addition, the decline of native bird and insect species has led to a decrease in pollination.{{r|iucn}}