Forest Cyrtandra

Description

Cyrtandra giffardii is a rare species of flowering plant in the African violet family known by the common names forest cyrtandra and Giffard's cyrtandra. It is endemic to the island of Hawaii, where it grows on the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. A 1998 estimate places the total remaining population size around 1000 individual plants. It is a tree which grows 2 to 6 meters tall and bears white flowers. It was federally listed as an endangered species in 1994. Like other Hawaiian Cyrtandra it is called ha`iwale The plant grows in the wet forests of the two Hawaiian volcanoes and faces habitat degradation caused by feral pigs and cattle in the area. There is also an invasion by non-native plants in these forests.