Kingdom Plantae Family Asteraceae Tribe Heliantheae Scientific name Melanthera kamolensis | Order Asterales Subfamily Asteroideae Genus Melanthera Rank Species | |
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Melanthera kamolensis (formerly Lipochaeta kamolensis), known by the common name Maui nehe, is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family.
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Distribution
The plant is endemic to Hawaiʻi, where it is known only from the island of Mauʻi.
It grows on slopes and gulches in a small stretch of shrubland on the southern side of East Mauʻi island. There is one population located in Kamole Gulch, the type locality. In 2005 this population contained only 25 mature plants.
Nearby there is another population which appears to be a hybrid swarm of plants descended from Melanthera kamolensis and Melanthera rockii crosses.
Description
Melanthera kamolensis is a sprawling perennial herb.
It produces daisylike yellow flower heads.
Conservation
Melanthera kamolensis is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.
The main threat to the species is the loss and degradation of its habitat caused by ungulates, non-native plants, and fires.