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New native flower discovered above Lahaina
By Staff | Jan 8, 2021
Cyanea heluensis is a newly described native plant. The only known individual was discovered in wet ‘ohia forest on Mauna Kahalawai in West Maui. PHOTO BY THE PLANT EXTINCTION PREVENTION PROGRAM (PEPP).
LAHAINA Hawaii’s rich collection of unique native plant species has added a new member to its ranks, and a new species has been described for the first time. Only one individual of the new species, named Cyanea heluensis, is currently known from a remote location in West Maui. While exploring the steep slopes of Helu above Lahaina, Botanist Hank Oppenheimer and colleague Jennifer Higashino found a single large plant in the deep shade of a healthy ohi’a forest.
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Cyanea heluensis, a newly described native plant, is shown in a recent photo. The only known individual was discovered in wet ohia forest on Mauna Kahalawai in West Maui.
Plant Extinction Prevention Program photo A new native flower was discovered in a remote location in West Maui last week, and it’s the only known plant of its kind to exist so far.
While exploring the steep slopes of Helu above Lahaina, botanists Hank Oppenheimer and Jennifer Higashino found a single large Cyanea heluensis. This new species is related to other native plants known as haha, but has different features, including unique leaves and curved, long, white flowers.
Botanists discovered a new plant species in Hawaii called Cyanea heluensis
However, it is the only one of its kind found in the area to date
The large plant has massive green leaves and in the center are white flowers
The flowers are long and curved that some say look like uncooked French fries
A new growth of the plant is being grown in a Hawaii nursery