Lobelioids Haha

How and when did Lobelioids come to arrive in Hawai’i? How and when did Lobelioids come to arrive in Hawai’i? In what ways have they adapted to Hawaiian habitats? In what ways have they adapted to Hawaiian habitats? How have each of the endemic species adapted? How have each of the endemic species adapted? What are the causes of some species disappearing? What are the causes of some species disappearing?

How Lobelioids reached the Hawaiian archipelago Indo-pacific region tropical climate growing conditions Andes: fleshly fruited lobelia Centropogon, Burmeistera Seeds carried by muddy birds 4,000 mile trip roughly 5 million year ago

Makai to mauka Deposited along coast the islands Deposited along coast the islands Adapted inland to less harsh climate Adapted inland to less harsh climate – Makai to mauka : coast to forest

Adaptations Arborescence Arborescence Gigantism Gigantism Protection Protection Dispersal Dispersal Pollination Pollination Most all of these adaptations can be attributed to Hawaii’s mild climate which stimulates year round growth

Arborescence “becoming a tree” Weedy forms okay as colonist Weedy forms okay as colonist Evolve to be more treelike to match densely vegetated areas Evolve to be more treelike to match densely vegetated areas Woody forms can compete best for light Woody forms can compete best for light Rosetta/whorl of leaves Rosetta/whorl of leaves

Gigantism Gigantism – Seeds, leaves (rosette), height Dispersal Dispersal – Termatolobia – “salt shaker”

Protection – spikes/teeth on some juvenile plants of cyanea and rollandia – Fall off when adulthood reached – some “permanently juvenile” Cyanea marksii Cyanea marksii – Land snails and some insects Pollination Pollination – Hawk moth – Honeycreepers Clermontia excessive flower types Clermontia excessive flower types

Lobelioids Delissea Delissea Cyanea Cyanea Rollandia Rollandia Clermontia Clermontia Lobelia Lobelia Trematolobelia Trematolobelia Brighamia Brighamia

Delissea Best represents features of immigrants Best represents features of immigrants – Large seeds – Numerous flowered inflorescent

Distinguished by Distinguished by – Large wrinkled seeds – Pimple like projection on flower Habitat: dry forest Habitat: dry forest Site of original colonization Site of original colonization

Cyanea haha, haha nui, haha lua, 'aku'aku, popolo, pua kala, 'aku Much more diversified and common than delissea Much more diversified and common than delissea Habitat : wet shade forests Habitat : wet shade forests Spikes/spines on juvenile plants Spikes/spines on juvenile plants Absent when adulthood reached Absent when adulthood reached Cyanea marksii never “grows up” Cyanea marksii never “grows up”

Rollandia Stamens are adherent to collola Stamens are adherent to collola Rosetta treelike species has adapted to many varied habitats Rosetta treelike species has adapted to many varied habitats Lower wet to upper dry areas Lower wet to upper dry areas – R. lanceolata : wide hairy leaves Deep shady gulches Deep shady gulches – R. pinnatifida : juvenile plant has toothed leaves; adult losses teeth Windy wet ridges Windy wet ridges – R. st johnii : short stem, leaves curled with protective shiny surface

Clermontia 'oha, 'oha wai, 'oha wai nui, haha, haha'aiakamanu, Diversification in flowers Sepals unusually long, some as long as the petals Main pollinator honeycreeper

Lobeliaoha or ohawai Only genus occurring else where in the world Only genus occurring else where in the world Typically wet places world wide Typically wet places world wide Large rosettes on top of huge stalks Large rosettes on top of huge stalks Plant dies after fruiting Plant dies after fruiting

Trematolobeliakoli’i One species, with many varieties One species, with many varieties Specializes in seed dispersal Specializes in seed dispersal Lives in the wettest places Lives in the wettest places

Brighamia puaala, aluli, ohahah Grows on the steep cliffs of Kavai, Molokai (& formerly Niihau) Grows on the steep cliffs of Kavai, Molokai (& formerly Niihau) Characteristically a single rosette of leaves on top of a thick succulent stem

What are some causes of disappearance? Loss of dispersibility Loss of dispersibility Loss of competitiveness Loss of competitiveness – Invasive species Human activity Human activity – Loss of habitat – Introduction of livestock Loss of pollinators Loss of pollinators – Mamo and I’iwi – Fewer Hawk moths Unknown reasons Unknown reasons

95% of native Hawaiian plants occur nowhere else in the world 95% of native Hawaiian plants occur nowhere else in the world Hawaii has 100s of species of plants and animals on the endangered species list Hawaii has 100s of species of plants and animals on the endangered species list More plants and animal species have disappeared from the Hawaiian islands than all of North America More plants and animal species have disappeared from the Hawaiian islands than all of North America

Lobelioids arrived in the Hawaiian archipelago millions of years ago and have since has uniquely adapted drastically in Lobelioids arrived in the Hawaiian archipelago millions of years ago and have since has uniquely adapted drastically in – Habitat – Growth form – Pollination requirements Although many lobelioid species have become obsolete many are still thriving and surviving! Although many lobelioid species have become obsolete many are still thriving and surviving! Aloha

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