Discovering this new plant species on Maui was serendipity
This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat. You can sign up for Civil Beat's newsletter here and support the nonprofit newsroom here.
On July 30, 2020, Plant Extinction Prevention Program field botanist Hank Oppenheimer was conducting a routine plant survey in Pohakea Gulch in West Maui when he noticed a strange purple flower on a familiar shrub.
Although Oppenheimer has studied and surveyed Clermontia gaudich species throughout his career, this one was peculiar. The flower had white streaks, elongated lobes and convex petals.
Earlier this year, the plant was officially recognized as a new species, Clermontia hanaulaensis. ...
Oct 29, 2023