Notes on the Rediscovery, Status, and Ecology of the Very Rare Hawaiian Fern Christella boydiae (Thelypteridaceae)

4 Pages·1993·2.3 MB·English

by  A C Medeiros

86
AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL: 86-89 (1993)
83(3):
and Ecology
Status,
on Rediscovery,
Notes the
Fern
Hawaiian
Rare
Very
of the
(Thelypteridaceae)
boydiae
Christella
Medeiros
A. C.
Makawao, Maui, HI 96768
RO. Box
369,
Halcakala National Park,
HOBDY
W.
R.
HI 96793
Maui,
High Wailuku,
Land and Natural Resources, 54 Soutli Street,
Department of
H Wagner
W.
.
Ann MI 48 109
Michigan, Arbor,
University of
Department of Biology.
(Thelyptcridace
The genus
Christella
World
and
(W
Hawaiian Christella
undcrstory of rain forest.
component of matted fern
actcrislic
stream
Kipalmlu and Waiho'i Valleys
from Ko'olau range of O' aim,
has been collected only the
on Currently is
llawai'i.
on East Maui, and along low elevation watercourses neai" Ililo it
Kipahulu
Museun
Bishop
;ii
Most of these sneci
poor conditio
information
n
by
BISH) were made between 1900 and 1908
six specimens (one third of the total at
from
Rock, mostly Uie
Hawaiian C.N. Forbes or
either of the noted botanists, J.F.
on O'aliu
boydiae
Punalu'u region of the Ko'olau range. The last collection of Christella
was
was made 1908. However, Wanen H. Wagner found that this species still
prior
to
(Kaluanui
present the Punalu'u area of Ko'olau range on O'ahu as late as 1965
in
tlic
Wagner
Stream, rock shelves, Castle Hau'ula Forest Reserve, Ko'olau range, W. H.
trail,
Clidemia
many
and Carlauist 65270 MICH). Since that time, exotic weeds, noteably
S.
(M
peered
Mau
infonnation.
BISH)
1881 Kipaliulu Valley Clarke without further location
in (F.L. s.n.,
C
1967
Then after 86 years, boydiae was again collected in Kipahulu Valley in (/?.
A
Maui
915m collection
DeWreede (Lamoureux,
30) along Palikea stream 1968). third
at
Waiho'i
NSF-sponsored
was made in 1973 in adiacent Waiho'i Vallev as nart of the
m
Waiohonu
915-1040
Harrison along
Project {B. 10) at
'rom a shadv location under a ledce associated witli hyir
pers
(BISH):
Herbarium Pacificum
Neither of Uiese collections is present in tlie cabinets at tlie
specimens the
although the latter is in the University of Hawai'i collection. Fourteen at
Of were collect-
Herbarium Pacificum (BISH) include the year of collection. these, eight
& WAGNER: CHRISTEUA BOYDIAE 87
HOBDY.
MEDEIROS,
No
between 1900 and 1908. collection of C. boycUae in the
1900 and
ed before six
made
was 1908.
Herbarium Pacificum after
middle Kipaliulu
was rediscovered along strcambcds in
boydiae
In 1985, Christella
specimens
Botanical
Haleakala National Park.
Wa
Michig
watercourses of Kipaliulu
now known from primary periodic
the three
species
this is
&
m Hobdy Medeiros 2834 through
A.C.
Medeiros R.W.
1160-1500 795,
(A.C.
Valley
at
known
from Kipaliulu Valley.
populations are
146
BISH). plants in six
2847, Currently,
Koukouai 16 one population in a tribu-
on stream, in
Of one population
12 occur
in
these,
of Pidikea stream and 118 plant
tary
Haleakala
found
The populations of C. boydiae in
stream.
Waiho
W;
courses
and stream in
substantial
banks
moss-covered
on exposed, rocky,
boydiae occurs
Christella
In KipiUiulu Valley,
Metro
grows
fcni Uiat
boydiae a small rosette
Christella is
with a thick matted feni understory.
he
water
high level.
above,
mostly or just
and along rocky ledges at, 1
rock crevices
in
Species
Most
species.
winter
In
amount
flooding
stream courses are subject to
storms,
tJiese
and
weaUier
of sunny clear
extended periods
Although dense mist and clouds aie frequent,
Athynum
tcnis
include the
species
summer. Associated native
also occur, primarily in
cyatheouies,
Chnstella
Aspknium
unilaterale.
microphyllum, Aniauropelta gJobulifera,
Deschampsmnidnsena
Carex alligata,
graminoids and forbs
and
Sadleria pallida. Uie
Clermont
la
arguta,
Broussaisut
woody
species,
dwarfed
and
and Pilea peploides the
Metro
side
and
Hypochoeris radicata,
Holcus lanatus,
Deparia petersenii.
stream banks include
Prunella
vulgaris.
boy^liae
Christella
specimens.
herbmium
by
afforded
According scanty record
die
to
1920s had d^-
by die
low elevations but
down
very
was formerly found along streams to
much
appeared from of
rai
its
pec
Hillebrand
earns '*
Wailuku
bed
"On ol
hiwc rocks in Uie
(1888)
states,
.k.
, . 1 scnarmr.e. r
Ba, dwin under the
by
Found
also
banks
nary fonn grows along Uie
sized
. . .
descrbcd
hoychaej^^^
Oahu." Christella
Koolau,
by of a sU'eam in
tions the side
ahu
forai
u«on
of
U>a, ''"''''';:^"™'
Aspidium cymUeoides). reduced lo a variety ff
»
i. ! f*'''
n
'^»'- o d u„s
res
.l^^Uison 9.
IlawaiM.
O'^a™ and ( )
and dLsuibution as
reported the
species
genus
the
spec.es to
assigned the
(1964)
Iwatsuki
the presence of peltate iiidusia.
NUMBER
VOLUME
AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL: 83 3 (1993)
88
C two
on specimens of
based tJie
Iwydiae and cyatheoides,
CImstella
of
irpholog iiparison
Maui.
from Kipaliulu Valley, Ea.st
species collected
cyatheoides
C.
hoydiae
C.
Qiaraci
^\
on vein
basal
on vein
niedial
l.Sori
smootli
surface
impressed below»
below
above and
embossed above
mm
mm
diam.
diam. reniform, 1.0
1.0-1.5
peltate,
Indusia
2.
abundant on rachis and costa
on axes
absent leaf
Scales
3.
below; yellowish
moderate to abundant
absent
Glandular hairs
4.
No. of layers of
5.
3-8
sometimes
usually 4-6,
L sometimes 2
usually
anastomosing veins
cm
20-200+
cm
6-32
frond length
Fertile
6.
mm
mm
70-210
long,
13-40
chmensions long,
Pinna
7.
mm
15-28 wide
5-8 nun wide
way
costa
strongly crenate to lobed. 1/2 to
Pinna margins crenate
8.
acuminate
rounded acute acute to
Pinna apices lu
9.
cordate;
truncate to
cuneate
Pinna bases
10.
on inconspicuous
on prominent
mm
mm
1-2
stalks
1-3
stalks
Holltum (1976)
subgenus Cyrtomiopsis.
of
Thelypteris as the sole rcprescnlative the
place the
Other authorities
a segregate of Thelypteris.
placed the species in Christellch
more
species the large inclusive genus, Thelypteris.
in
taxon
hoydiae as
even recent workers have been cautious in recognizing Christella
lections,
Holttum (1977) states,
Hawaiian cyatheoides.
distinct from the other species, C.
agree
"Hillebrand considered this to be a depauperate fonn of Christella cyatheoides] I
C
appear
that they are allied, but think possible that hoydiae is distinct, as ils scales to
it
com-
and a careful
Plants should be cultivated, to see what size they will attain for
differ.
C
parison with living plants of cyatheoidesr The two Hawaiian Christella species cU'e
distinguished and when more closely examined are marked by a number of charac-
easily
much
a
cyatheoides
separate them (Table In addition, Christella is
clearly
ters that 1).
grows dense matted fcm understory of Hawaiian rain forests. It is
larger fern in the
lliat
commonly Dwiufcd individuals of C.
also pendant along the sides of watercourses.
suggestion
cyatheoides also occur in rcx:ky areas of stream courses. However, despite the
C
dis-
of taxonomic even stunted individuals of cyatheoides are easily
earlier literature,
C
Kipahulu witli
tinguished from hoydiae (Table Both species occur side by side in
1).
no signs of F^ hybridization or inti'ogression.
The
disappearance
stream
,77
The
dominant low where formerly hoydiae occurred.
species in elevation habitats C.
stream cours-
invasion of riparian habitats by alien weeds in relatively high elevation
tlie
C
may primary
known hoydiae be the
es of Kipahulu Valley Uiat are tlic last refuge for
may high intensi-
threat that iiffcct its long-term survival. Stream courses wiili their light
—
89
BOYDIAE
& WAGNER: CHRISTEIIA
MEDEIROS, IIOBDY,
even otherwise
prone invasion by alien species, in rel-
distiubance are to
and frequent
ties
Hawaiian natural areas.
atively intact
kupukupu-imkalVl
name, literally
Hawaiian
hoydiae has a
Christella
Despite
rarity,
its
& The name kupukupu usually
is
kupukupu (Pukui Elbert. 1986).
fern"
"small-eyed
the
presumably
in
meaning "small-eyed"
word
mikali'i
Nephrolepis, the
applied to the fern
* r
namcd
Other
A Fnrlv Hawailaiis the
^ .r.^; f^f hn\^rlinp
.,
. :
species
and
food
possibil
Hawaiian ecosystems, the
many
species in
other
rai'e
management
At there active
appears good. least is
of species
long term conservation this
known
The popula-
and ecosystems.
species
of native
survival
ongoing perpetuate the
to
bcmg monitored.
weeds mat are present are
boydiae and Uie alien
of ChristeUa
tions
Acknowledgements
rev'-ing
.ius
Lloyd LcK.pe for
L.
population...
We Gagne regarding Wa.l.o'i
thank Betsy H. for inforn.a.ion
W Management. Halcakala Nat, onal Park for as....s.
Dav.d Miranda and Ronald Nagata. Re..ources
work. J.
ar,d
tance with field work.
Cited
Literature
6:361-361
Club
Torrey Bot.
- (Cyrtomnm) boydiae. Bull.
A new Aspldhuu
Eaton, D.C. 1879. ic.n
mc
Harrison 1972 he preliimnary cnecK ii.si ui va.^wu.ci ^>.^ - -
1
Con.servancy
The Nature
Waiho. Valley Project.
of the
report
Kjargaard (ed Sc.ent'fic
),
Va.
Arlington,
M-.icello^N.Y^
&
Lubrech. Cran.er.
Hawaiian Wand.. 3rd ed. (1981).
Hiul^BRAND. W. 1888. nora of U.e
HOLTTUM
Blumea 19:17-52.
AUertoma (3).169-.. 4.
and Au.s,ral..a.
the Pacific 1
The Tl.elyp.eridaceae in
HOLTTUM, R.E. 1977. fanuly
Amer. Fern
L^l:«f-;»-
indus.a.
A with peltate
Hawaiian fern
IWATSUK.. K. 1961. tl.elypteroid
and adjacent
Japan
of
reference to .specie.,
with spec.al
U.elypteroid ferns,
IwATSUKt, K. 1964. Taxonoiuy of U.e
31:.8.
B. Biol.
Kyoto Imp. Univ., Ser.
regions. Me.n. Coll. Sci.
% ^'•^•
Mau.. Pp^
'
Kipahulu Valley^
of ^^^^^^^
Lamoureux. C.H. 1968. Tl.e vascular plant., ' ^^,,
Arhn^.o^n. Va.
Con.servancy.
Nature
Expedition. Tlte
Kipahulu Valley
Report of the
Scien.tfic
53:149-154.
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J
Morton, oi Tbelyplcris.
C.V. 1963. Tl.e cla.ssificalion
Engh.sh-.H.^a^w^aiu;a^n^)) revi.sed
and
(Hawauan-Enghsh
Hawaiian dictionary
M.K. and Elbert. 1986.
PUKU,.
S.II.
Honolulu. 572 pp.
Hawaii Press.
of
University
and enlarged edition.
Torrey
Qub
Club 440U::2i0U44,, ppllaattee 1l0u..
9.41_44
Ft7o,r„,u,m„)i 8.43-44.
(F.ddle,lKad,
Fern Soc.
An.er.
Wagner, WH.. 1981. Ferns in the Hawaiian Islands. Bull.
Jr.