Pua ‘ala

Pua ‘ala

cover image of Pua `ala

Names

  • ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: Pua ‘ala
  • Scientific: Brighamia rockii

Conservation Status

  • Federal and State Listed as Endangered
  • IUCN Red List Ranking – Critically Endangered (CR)

Species Information

Pua ‘ala, a member of the Campanulaceae (bellflower) family, grows as an unbranched plant 1 to 5 m (3.3 to 16ft) tall with a thickend, succulent stem that tapers from the base. The fragrant flowers are clustered in groups of three to eight in the leaf axils (the point between the leaf and the stem). The petals are fused into a green to yellowish-green tube, which flares into five white, elliptic lobes. The fruit is a capsule  thick which contains numerous seeds about 1 mm (0.05 in) long.

Distribution

Pua ‘ala is found on Moloka’i.

Habitat

Windswept sea cliffs.

Threats

  • Competition with alien invasive plants
  • Consumption by feral ungulates and rats
  • Small population size
  • Landslides and erosion caused by feral ungulates
  • Climate change

References & Additional Resources

“Pua `Ala (Brighamia Rockii).” ECOS, https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/8393.

5-YEAR REVIEW

Photos

image of Pua `ala
image of Pua `ala
image of Pua `ala
image of Pua `ala
image of Pua `alaBrighamia_rockii_kw-flower Brighamia insignis in flower. The plant, and 124 other species of Hawaiian lobeliads, has been found to have a single common ancestor that first colonized the Hawaiian archipelago about 13.5 million years ago..Used and distributed with permission by: UW-Madison University Communications 608/262-0067.Photo by: courtesy Kenneth R. Wood.Date: 10/05