NEWS!
Flowers of Melicope oppenheimeri
New species from Maui named after Maui Nui PEPP Coordinator
A new species, Melicope oppenheimeri (Rutaceae), has been formally described and named after Maui Nui PEPP Coordinator, Hank Oppenheimer, in honor of his tremendous contributions to plant conservation in Hawai`i. This taxon is the 49th recognized Melicope species in the Hawaiian islands and is one of 13 Melicope taxa on the PEP Species list.
Read the formal description of Melicope oppenheimeri here:
http://phytokeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=8844
A new species, Melicope oppenheimeri (Rutaceae), has been formally described and named after Maui Nui PEPP Coordinator, Hank Oppenheimer, in honor of his tremendous contributions to plant conservation in Hawai`i. This taxon is the 49th recognized Melicope species in the Hawaiian islands and is one of 13 Melicope taxa on the PEP Species list.
Read the formal description of Melicope oppenheimeri here:
http://phytokeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=8844
The Last Wild O`ahu Na`u Survived the Fire!
The recent fires on O`ahu scorched thousands of acres in Nānākuli and threatened to eliminate O`ahu's last remaining wild Gardenia brighamii (na`u). A recent survey by PEPP and DoFAW found that the tree shows signs it survived the fire: green leaves and viable fruit!
This revered species, used traditionally for house posts, anvils, lei and yellow dye, was thought to be widely distributed throughout the dryland forests of Hawai`i, Lāna`i, Moloka`i, Maui and O`ahu. The current distribution of wild trees, aside from the lone wild tree on O`ahu, is limited to just over a dozen individuals on Lāna`i. Thankfully, hard work by PEPP and partner organizations, who have spent many years collecting fruit and cuttings from the remaining wild plants, have reintroduced over 150 offspring into protected Hawaiian forests. Our tireless efforts will continue to protect the last na`u on O`ahu and the hundreds of other critically endangered plant species throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
See the video below from the Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources about the visit to the last na`u and the effects of the fire.
The recent fires on O`ahu scorched thousands of acres in Nānākuli and threatened to eliminate O`ahu's last remaining wild Gardenia brighamii (na`u). A recent survey by PEPP and DoFAW found that the tree shows signs it survived the fire: green leaves and viable fruit!
This revered species, used traditionally for house posts, anvils, lei and yellow dye, was thought to be widely distributed throughout the dryland forests of Hawai`i, Lāna`i, Moloka`i, Maui and O`ahu. The current distribution of wild trees, aside from the lone wild tree on O`ahu, is limited to just over a dozen individuals on Lāna`i. Thankfully, hard work by PEPP and partner organizations, who have spent many years collecting fruit and cuttings from the remaining wild plants, have reintroduced over 150 offspring into protected Hawaiian forests. Our tireless efforts will continue to protect the last na`u on O`ahu and the hundreds of other critically endangered plant species throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
See the video below from the Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources about the visit to the last na`u and the effects of the fire.
