Clermontia hawaiiensis, the ʻŌhā kēpau, is a species of Hawaiian lobelioid endemic to Hawaiʻi island, where it grows in Hawaiian tropical rainforests. Like other Hawaiian lobelioids, it is highly susceptible to damage from invasive grazing mammals such as feral pigs.
| Clermontia hawaiiensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| In flower, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, elevation 1200m | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Campanulaceae |
| Genus: | Clermontia |
| Species: | C. hawaiiensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Clermontia hawaiiensis Hillebr. (1913)
| |
Description
editClermontia hawaiiensis grows as a small tree, usually a few meters in height but potentially reaching up to 9m. It has long <24cm leaves, white and purple flowers, and orange fruits approximately 30mm across.[1]
Distribution and habitat
editClermontia hawaiiensis is endemic to the windward eastern side of Hawaiʻi island, where it grows only in wet rainforests near the town of Volcano, Hawaii and the Kīlauea Caldera between elevations of 550–1760m.[2] It is common in certain portions of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, albeit being extremely localized. Like other Clermontia, it can sometimes grow as an epiphyte, although in areas protected from grazing pressure from invasive mammals it typically grows on the forest floor.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ "Flora of the Hawaiian Islands - Species Page/ Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution". naturalhistory2.si.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ "Plants of Hawai'i | Bishop Museum". plantsofhawaii.org. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
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