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Population Size and Frequency of Branching in the Eke Silversword, Argyroxiphium Caliginis (Asteraceae), on Eke Crater, West Maui, Hawaii!

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Pacific Science (1992), vol. 46, no. 3: 308-314 © 1992 by University of Hawaii Press. All rights reserved Population Size and Frequency of Branching in the Eke Silversword, Argyroxiphium caliginis (Asteraceae), on Eke Crater, West Maui, Hawaii! 2 ELIZABETH ANN POWELL ABSTRACT: The Eke silversword, Argyroxiphium caliginis, is a rosette plant endemic to the summit bogs ofEke Crater and Puu Kukui, West Maui, Hawaii . On 2 November 1985, a belt transect across Eke Crater was used to estimate the population of silverswords on the summit bog. Total population of the Eke silversword on Eke Crater was estimated to be about 76,000 plants. Although the plant has been described as a branching shrub that reproduces vegetatively, the majority of the individuals in the sampled population of the Eke silversword on Eke Crater were unbranched, monocarpic plants that appeared to reproduce by seed. THE EKE SILVERSWORD (Argyroxiphium calig­ different species from that found on either the . inis Forbes) is a rosette plant endemic to the uplands of the island of Hawaii or of East summit bogs and ridges of Eke Crater (1360 Maui. It differs from the other described m elevation) and Puu Kukui (1600 m) of West species in its much smaller size." Maui , Hawaii (Figure 1). The Eke silversword Monocarpic silverswords live for many is one of five extant species in the Hawaiian years as a vegetative single-stemmed rosette genus Argyroxiphium (family Asteraceae, sub­ and die after a single episode offlowering and tribe Madiinae). All members ofthe genus are subsequent seed set. Branching is extremely endemic to Hawaii . rare in the Haleakala silversword (A . mac­ The Eke silversword has been frequently rocephalum Gray) (pers . obs.), occurs in less described as a branching, dwarf shrub (Keck than 8% of the plants in a population of 1936, Degener 1937, Neal 1965, Carlquist the Ka'u silversword (A. kauense (Rock and 1974, Carr 1985, 1990). Degener (1930) de­ Neal) Degener and Degener) in the Upper scribed the growth habit of the Eke silver­ Waiakea Forest Reserve on the island of sword as "creeping profusely over the ground Hawaii (unpublished data), and is present in and progressively dying back at the base, about 26% of the remnant naturally occur­ thus isolating the branches into independent ring population of the Mauna Kea silversword plants." Carlquist (1974, 1980)suggested that (A. sandwicense De Candolle) (Powell 1992). the Eke silversword on Puu Kukui rarely Therefore, the habit described by Degener flowered and depended on branching for re­ (1930) for the Eke silversword is unusual for production. However, Forbes (1920), in his silverswords. No other silversword species description ofthe species, did not describe the has been reported as capable of vegetative Eke silversword as a branching plant, but reproduction. However, the greensword stated simply, "The plant proves to be a (A . grayanum (Hillebrand) Degener) may be capable of vegetative reproduction in nature I This study was partially funded by a fellowship from (G. Carr, pers. comm.). the National Wildlife Federation. Manuscript accepted The purpose of this paper is to present an 30 September 1991. estimate of the population size, frequency of 2 Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822. Corresponding ad­ branching, and mode of reproduction of the dress: P. O. Box 61872, Boulder City, Nevada 89006­ Eke silversword on the summit bog of Eke 1872. Crater. 308 The Eke Silversword-PowELL 309 FIGURE I. A flowering Eke silversword on the summit bog of Eke Crater, West Maui , Hawaii . 310 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Volume 46, July 1992 Study Site RESULTS Eke Crater is an extinct volcanic dome with The belt transect covered 720 m2 and rep­ eroded sides and gently concave summit. The resented 0.005% (1/189) of the area of the summit bog is underlain by a clay hardpan summit of Eke (13.6 ha), as determined by over a compressed lava core and is character­ planimeter. A total of 404 individual plants, ized by numerous pits and open water ponds. ofwhich three were in flower, occurred within The vegetation of the summit bog, which the belt transect. If one assumes that the consists primarily ofgrasses, sedges, and low­ density of silverswords within the transect growing shrubs, was in a pristine state at the (0.56 plants per m") is the same as the density time of this study: Alien plants were absent of silverswords on the summit of Eke Crater, and the vegetation appeared not to have been then the total population is estimated as the disturbed by humans or feral animals. The number of silverswords found in the transect summit of Eke Crater has been designated a (404) times the number of possible transect Natural Area Reserve by the State of Hawaii areas on the summit of Eke (189), or about Department of Land and Natural Resources. 76,000 silverswords. The distribution ofrosette diameters of the sampled silversword population showed a METHODS reverse J curve typical of expanding popula­ On 2 November 1985, a 2 m x 360 m belt tions (Figure 2). Forty-eight percent of the transect was extended in IO-m intervals from plants within the transect were < 10 cm in the north rim of Eke Crater across the center diam. There were, however, few seedlings < 3 of the summit to the edge of the south rim. em in diam. It is possible that the silverswords The number ofsilversword plants, the rosette in this bog grow more rapidly than 1 or 2 em diameter of each plant, and the number of per year. If so, seedlings that resulted from the rosette branches for each plant in the transect seed crop of 1984would have been larger than were recorded. The transect covered only flat 2 em by the time of this census in 1985. It is and gently sloping surfaces and did not in­ also possible that seedling recruitment occurs clude pits. Less than 25 m2 ofthe transect was irregularly and that few seedlings were re­ open water ponds. cruited in 1984. The number of flowering silverswords on Sixty-nine of the 404 silverswords (17%) the summit of Eke Crater was estimated by within the transect had multiple rosettes and counting the number of flowering plants en­ were considered branched; the remaining 335 countered and in view during a 5-hr walk had only one rosette and were unbranched around the perimeter of the summit bog. The (monocarpic). Of the branched individuals, rosette diameter and inflorescence height were 33% (n = 23) had two rosettes, 17% (n = 12) measured on 81 flowering individuals, and the had three rosettes, and 14% (n = 10)had> 10 number of flowering stalks from previous rosettes. The maximum number ofrosettes on flowering seasons that were encountered in any silversword plant in the transect was 36. the walk was recorded. The height of the Branched silverswords had several shoots inflorescence from the ground surface was that terminated in rosettes radiating from a measured for 39 flowering silverswords that central point on the aboveground shoot ofthe had fully elongated inflorescences. plant (Figure 3). The radiating shoots did not The area of Eke Crater was determined by extend farther than about 20 em from the planimeter from a I : 24,000, 7.5-min. series central shoot. In only one case was a radiating topographic map published by the U.S. Geo­ shoot found to be rooted in the soil and the logical Survey. However, because the surface connection between it and the parent shoot of the summit is not flat, but concave with broken. Although no silverswords were exca­ numerous pits, the planimeter reading for the vated to make these determinations, no con­ summit is an underestimate of the total sur­ nections between plants were obvious in the face area of the summit of Eke Crater. surface layers ofvegetation, nor were connec- The Eke Silversword- PoWELL 311 40 ~ 30 z ~ D... l..L. o 20 D::: W CD 2 ~ z 10 PlIA ~ IA l/l J~~ ~~ o Jr Jr IAIAPlIA o 10 20 30 40 50 ROSETTE DIAMETER (em) FIGURE 2. Distribution ofrosette diameters ofthesampled silversword population on Eke Crater. Graph does not include two plants: one had a rosettediameter of 61 em andtheother had a rosette diameter of 84 em. tions between silverswords fou nd by gently DISCUSSION probing the vegetation to the soil surface in areas between plants. It is, however, possible The estimated population of about 76,000 that mo re connections existed than were en­ Eke silversword plants on Eke Crater was countered by these methods. large r than the total estimated population of About 200 silverswords were in flower or any other species of silversword. The esti­ beginning to come into flower on the summit mated population of the Haleakala silver­ bog on 2 November 1985. Of the 81 flowering sword was about 50,000 plants in 1986 (Loope plants measured for inflorescence height, 39 and Crive llone 1986). The Haleakala silver­ plants (48%) had fully elongated inflores­ sword has suffered disturbance from humans cences; the remainder (42 plants) had por­ and feral goats. The Mauna Kea silverswo rd, tions of the inflorescence in bud. The rosette a federally listed endangered species, has been diameter of the 81 flowering silverswords reduced to a naturally occurring population ranged from 15 to 44 em. The mean diameter size ofless than 40 individuals from a popula­ was 27.0 em (n = 81, SD = 5.5) (Figure 4). tion that probably ranged over the alpine and The height of inflorescences ranged from subalpine slopes of Mauna Kea before the 29 to 81 em. The mean inflorescence height introduction of goats and sheep to Hawaii was 51.8 em.
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  • Reintroducing Hawaii's Silverswords

    Reintroducing Hawaii's Silverswords

    Reintroducing Hawaii’s by Robert Robichaux, Steven Bergfeld, Marie Bruegmann, Joan Canfield, Patrice Moriyasu, Tanya Silverswords Rubenstein, Timothy Tunison, and Frederick Warshauer Of the many endangered plant lates, however, the Mauna Loa species in the Hawaiian Islands, silversword suffered a severe decline. silverswords have the highest profile The surviving individuals, numbering due to their radiant beauty and the fewer than 1,000 plants, are confined to severity of the threats confronting them. three small natural populations widely The large-scale reintroduction of scattered across Mauna Loa. greenhouse-grown seedlings is raising In addition to direct threats from hopes for the recovery of these spec- alien ungulates, Mauna Kea and Mauna tacular endemic species, although Loa silverswords may face serious serious challenges remain. indirect threats from alien insects, The Mauna Kea silversword especially ants and wasps. These alien A Mauna Loa silversword being planted at Kulani Correctional (Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. predators have the potential to decimate Facility. Inmates from the facility sandwicense) had an historical range populations of native bees and moths have participated in an innovative that encircled Mauna Kea volcano at that serve as pollinators, thereby greatly volunteer program to help with 8,500-12,500 feet (2,600-3,800 meters) limiting seed set in silverswords. silversword reintroduction. elevation on the Island of Hawai‘i. All photos by Joan Canfield Based on the records of early natural- Partnership for Recovery ists, this silversword grew in abundance Though the threats are daunting, the and was a dominant plant of the outlook for recovery of Mauna Kea and subalpine and alpine ecosystems.