Herbarium Sheet Detail
NTBG Plant Name:
Sida fallax
Collector Name:
K. R. Wood
Collection Date:
October 6, 2005
Island Group:
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
District:
Waimea District
Plant Description:
Shrub, decumbent with diffuse branching, 1 m wide, corolla orange, leaves light green, ca several hundred plants.
Habitat:
Sida fallax shrubland. Relatively bare with ca. 75% of the ground being exposed barren tuff along with many hundreds of naturally hallowed burrows.
Associated Species:
Tribulus cistoides, Waltheria indica, Jacquemontia ovalifolia subsp. sandwicensis (pa‘u-o-Hi‘iaka); and several native grasses such as Panicum torridum (kakonakona), Panicum fauriei var. latius, and Panicum pellitum (kai‘oi‘o).
Comments:
There is a 150 m long section of Sida fallax (‘ilima) shrubland that dominates the vegetation as one passes over the narrow and difficult crossing of the western horn’s ‘natural arch’. This represents the only known population of ‘ilima and the presence of this relic shrubland could perhaps be the result of rabbits not crossing over the arch, -as no sign of rabbits have been noted to date. The absence of rabbit herbivory and the presence of prevalent northeast winds have apparently kept weedy species from becoming established along this distal portion of the west horn. Strong winds and dry conditions have kept this region relatively bare with ca. 75% of the ground being exposed barren tuff along with many hundreds of naturally hallowed burrows that are occupied by seabirds during their nesting cycles. Besides ‘ilima, which can occasionally cover up to 25% of the upper crest and inner rim, there are several other native species which occur along this stretch including decumbent shrubs of Tribulus cistoides (nohu) and Waltheria indica (‘uhaloa); the native vine Jacquemontia ovalifolia subsp. sandwicensis (pa‘u-o-Hi‘iaka); and several native grasses such as Panicum torridum (kakonakona), Panicum fauriei var. latius, and Panicum pellitum (kai‘oi‘o). Although we have not relocated the rare native Portulaca villosa (‘Ihi), this species was also observed in the area by Caum in the early 1930’s.
Date of Record Creation:
September 15, 2011
Date of Last Update:
August 6, 2023
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