Cyanea koolauensis

Common Names

Palolo Valley Rollandia, Haha, Narrowleaf Rollandia

Summary

Endemic to Oahu's Koolau Mountains in Hawaii, this unbranched, short-lived perennial shrub grows to 1–1.5 m tall with woody stems and dark magenta flowers. Leaves are linear to narrowly elliptic with a whitish underside and a whitish-green lower leaf surface; edges are hardened with shallow, ascending rounded teeth, and distinguishing features include leaf shape and width, the whitish-green lower surface, and the lengths of leaf stalks, calyx lobes, and hypanthium. It occurs on ridgelines in cloud-swept wet forests and mesic valleys at elevations of 518–811 m.

Conservation and cultivation considerations include endangered status and habitat protection, with fences around known populations to reduce pig impacts and snaring if fencing is not feasible, plus weed control and a rat-control plan. Ex situ propagation is pursued, seeds stored at NTBG (795 seeds), and Army lands are involved in management to support recovery.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3 ft 3 in – 5 ft

Bloom Color

Dark red

Bloom Time

Year-round (all seasons)

Foliage Color

Whitish green with whitish undersides.

Growth Rate

Declining

Seasons of Interest

All four seasons.

Propagation Methods

Seeds (ex situ propagation)