Remy’s Lobelia (Lobelia remyi)
This species was described in 1919, it is known only from the type that was collected sometimes between 1851 and 1855.
“This species, which has not been re-collected, is described from a specimen, collected by Jules Remy on Oahu, in the herbarium in Paris [see depiction]. It is at once distinguished from the other Hawaiian Lobelias in the compact short raceme and the small grayish woolly leaves. It comes evidently close to Lobelia tortuosa Heller, with which it has the tomentose leaves in common. The specimen possesses old flowers, and is already in the fruiting stage. ” [1]
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The reasons for its extinction are certainly the same as for the other Hawaiian lobelioid species: complete destruction of the habitat and predation by introduced animals like cattle and rats.
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References:
[1] Joseph F. Rock: A monographic study of the Hawaiian species of the tribe Lobelioideae, family Campanulaceae. Memoirs of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural History 7: 1-394. 1918
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(public domain)
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edited: 04.04.2018