Nani wai`ale`ale (Viola kauaiensis var. wahiawaensis)
Taxonomy:
View taxonomy in ITISListing Status: Endangered
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
Viola kauaensis var. wahiawaensis, a member of the violet family (Violaceae), is a perennial herb with upward curving or weakly rising, hairless, lateral stems about 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in) long. The kidney- to heart-shaped leaves are usually 2.0 to 5.0 cm (0.8 to 2.0 in) long and 3.5 to 6.0 cm (1.4 to 2.4 in) wide and widely spaced. The toothed leaf blades are unlobed or rarely three-lobed, hairless or covered with a few minute hairs, with a broadly wedge-shaped base. The solitary flowers are borne in the leaf axils. Two types of flowers are present. One is self-pollinating and does not open, while the other opens and requires cross-pollination. The flowers that open have hairless petals, which are white on the upper surface and purple or blue to white on the lower surface. These petals are narrowly spatula-shaped, the upper petals measuring about 15.0 to 19.0 mm (0.6 to 0.7 in) long, the lateral ones about 18.0 to 23.0 mm (0.7 to 0.9 in) long, and the lower ones about 18.0 to 23.0 mm (0.7 to 1.0 in) long. The non-opening flowers usually occur on short lateral stems. Their greenish petals are hairless, the upper ones being three-lobed and about 1.0 to 1.6 mm (0.04 to 0.06 in) long. The fruit is a deeply lobed capsule 8.0 to 13.0 mm (0.3 to 0.5 in) long.» Range Information
Current Range
Current range maps are only shown within the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States of America. The species may also occur outside this region.
Wherever found
Listing status: Endangered
- States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: Hawaii
- US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur:
» Candidate Information
No Candidate information available for this species.
No Candidate Assessments available for this species.
No Uplisting Documents currently available for this species.
» Federal Register Documents
» Species Status Assessments (SSAs)
No Species Status Assessments (SSA's) are currently available for this species.
No Special Rule Publications currently available for this species.
» Recovery
- Species with Recovery Documents Data Explorer
- Recovery Priority Number: 6
No Delisting Documents currently available for this species.
» Critical Habitat
To learn more about critical habitat please see https://ecos.fws.gov/crithab
» Conservation Plans
No Conservation Plans currently available for this species.
» Petitions
No Petitions currently available for this species.
» Biological Opinions
To see all FWS Issued Biological Opinions please visit the BO Report.
» Life History
Habitat Requirements
Viola kauaensis var. wahiawaensis occurs in Machaerina angustifolia (uki) Rhynchospora rugosa (kuolohia) lowland bog or mixed wet shrubland and adjacent Metrosideros polymorpha (ohia) wet forest at elevations between 393 and 1,006 m (1,291 and 3,301 ft). Associated native plant species include Antidesma platyphyllum var. hillebrandii (hame), Bidens forbesii (kookoolau), Euphorbia remyi (akoko), E. sparsiflora (akoko), Coprosma spp. (pilo), Cyanea fissa (haha), Dicranopteris linearis (uluhe), Diplopterygium pinnatum (uluhe lau nui), Dubautia imbricata (naenae), D. raillardioides (naenae), Gahnia vitiensis (NCN), Leptechophylla tameiameiae (pukiawe), Lobelia kauaensis (pue), Machaerina angustifolia (uki), Machaerina mariscoides (ahaniu), Melicope spp. (alani), Psychotria wawrae (kopiko), Sadleria pallida (amau), Scaevola gaudichaudii (naupaka kuahiwi), Sphenomeris chinensis (palaa), Syzygium sandwicensis (ohia ha), Polyscias oahuensis (ohe makua), and Vaccinium dentatum (ohelo)
Movement / Home Range
Viola kauaensis var. wahiawaensis historically occured in Wahiawa Bog. It currently occurs in Wahiawa Bog and between Mount Kapalaoa and Mount Kahili.
Reproductive Strategy
Among the Hawaiian violets, only Viola kauaensis exhibits a mixed-breeding system that includes cleistogamy (the traits of certain plants to self-pollinate and propagate by using non-opening, self-pollinating flowers). V. kauaensis flowers throughout the entire year. Its pollination vectors, seed dispersal agents, longevity, specific environmental requirements, and limiting factors remain unknown.
Other
Two varieties of this species are recognized, both occurring on Kauai: var. kauaensis and var. wahiawaensis. Variety wahiawaensis is distinguished by having broadly wedge-shaped leaf bases, whereas var. kauaensis has heart-shaped to truncate leaf bases. The species is distinguished from others of the genus by its non-woody habit, widely spaced leaves, and by having two types of flowers: conspicuous, open flowers and smaller, unopened flowers.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports-- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports-- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video." +