Viola helena
| Viola helena | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Violaceae |
| Genus: | Viola |
| Species: | V. helena
|
| Binomial name | |
| Viola helena Forbes & Lydgate
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Viola helena, commonly known as Wahiawa stream violet, is a rare species of flowering plant in the violet family. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the Wahiawa Mountains of Kauai.[1] It is threatened by exotic plant species and feral pigs. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Description
[edit]Viola helena is a subshrub which can reach 8 meters in height. It has long, narrow leaves and pale purple or white flowers.[2]
Conservation
[edit]This species is in decline and its numbers have dropped since the 1990s. There are two populations left, one of which was decimated by a landslide in 2005, leaving only a few seedlings and a seed pod. The other population, containing seven individuals, may be sterile and is too far from the first population to interbreed with it.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b USFWS. Viola helenae Five-year Review. January 2008.
- ^ Viola helenae. The Nature Conservancy.