Recovery Plan for the Maui Plant Cluster (Hawaii) US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Portland, Oregon July 1997 RECOVERY PLAN FOR THE MAUI PLANT CLUSTER Published By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Portland, Oregon ~Lao~J. ~ Approved: Regi al Director, U.S. F ildlife Service Date: DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate reasonable actions that are believed to be required to recover and/or protect listed species. Plans are published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sometimes prepared with the assistance ofrecovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Objectives will be attained and any necessary funds made available subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, as well as the need to address other priorities. Costs indicated for task implementation and/or time for achievement ofrecovery are only estimates and subject to change. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views, official positions nor approval ofany individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They represent the official position ofthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been signed by the Regional Director as approved. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species status, and the completion ofrecovery tasks. LITERATURE CITATION: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1997. Recovery Plan for the Maui Plant Cluster. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, OR. 130 pp. + appendices ADDITIONAL COPIES MAY BE PURCHASED FROM: Fish and Wildlife Reference Service 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110 Bethesda, Maryland 20814 telephone: 301/492-6403 or 1-800-582-3421 fax: 301/564-4059 e-mail: fwrs~mail.fws.gov Fees for plans vary depending on the number of pages. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Parts I and II ofthe initial draft ofthe Recovery Plan for the Maui Plant Cluster were prepared by Arthur C. Medeiros, Lloyd L. Loope and Philip A. Thomas ofthe Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii. Modifications have been made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Current Species Status: Twenty of the taxa addressed in this plan are federally listed as endangered and one, Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum, is listed as threatened. Numbers ofknown remaining populations and individuals are as follows (# of populations, # ofindividuals): Acaena exigua (last seen in 1957), Alectryon macrococcus (28, 500), Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum (1, >64,000), Bidens micrantha ssp. kalealaha (4, 2,000), Clermontia oblongifolia ssp. maujensis (1, 1), Cyanea lobata (last seen in 1982), Cyanea mceldowneyi (6, >144), Geranium arboreum (4, 300), Geranium muitfiorum (11, <3,000), Hedyotis coriacea (2, <20), p14J 4~~4z,Yn~i (6<300), Lipochaeta kamolensis (2, several hundred), Lysimachia lydgatei (3, 150-250), Melicope adscendens (1, 16), Melicope balloui (1, <300), Melicope mucronulata (1, 3), Melicope ovalis (1, >300), Remya maujensis (2, 9), Scaevola coriacea (4, <340), Schiedea haleakalensis (3, 100-200) and Tetramolopium capillare (2-4, <200). Distributions: All ofthe 21 Maui cluster taxa occur on the island ofMaui. Twelve are endemic to the island ofMaui. Bidens micrantha ssp. kalealaha, Ckrmontia oblongifolia ssp. maujensis and Cyanea lobatawere formerly found on the island ofLanai, and Acaena exigila was found on the island ofKauai. Hedyotis coriacea is also found on the island of Hawaii, and Melicope mucronulata is also found on the island ofMolokai. Huperzia mannii was formerly found on Kauai and is still extant on Hawaii. Scaevola coriacea formerly occurred on Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Hawaii and Niihau; and Alectryon macrococcus is also extant on Kauai, Oahu and Molokai. iii Habitat Requirements and Limiting Factors: The 21 taxa included in this recovery plan grow in a variety ofvegetation communities (forests, shrubland, and volcanic cliffs), elevation zones (coastal to high clifffaces), and moisture regimes (dry to wet). These taxa and their habitats have been variously affected or are currently threatened by one or more of the following: trampling, predation, and habitat destruction by introduced animals; habitat degradation and competition for space, light, water, and nutrients by naturalized, alien vegetation; habitat loss from fires; alien insects; disease; small number ofindividuals and populations; and loss ofpollinators. A few ofthese taxa may have been subjected to over collection and are subject to trampling by human beings along trails. Because ofthe small number of extant individuals and severely restricted distributions, populations of these taxa are subject to an increased likelihood ofextinction from stochastic events. Recovery Objectives: Delist all taxa. Interim downlisting and delisting objectives are provided. Recovery Criteria: • Interim Objectives for the 20 Endangered Taxa The interim objective is to stabilize all existing populations ofthe Maui taxa. To be considered stable, each taxon must be managed to control threats (e.g., fenced) and be represented in an ex situ collection. In addition, a minimum total of three populations of each taxon should be documented on Maui and, if possible, at least one other island where they now occur or occurred historically. Each ofthese populations must be naturally reproducing and increasing in number, with a minimum of 25 mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials and a minimum of 50 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials. • Downlisting Objectives for the 20 Endangered Taxa For downlisting, a total offive to seven populations ofeach taxon should be documented on Maui and at least one other island where they now occur or occurred historically. Each of these populations must be naturally reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for long- lived perennials, and a minimum of 300 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials. Each population should persist at this level for a minimum offive consecutive years before downlisting is considered. iv • Delisting Objective for the 20 Endangered Taxa For delisting, a total of8 to 10 populations ofeach taxon should be documented on Maui and at least one other island where they now occur or occurred historically. Each population must be naturally reproducing, stable or increasing in number, and secure from threats, with a minimum of 100 mature individuals per population for long-lived perennials and a minimum of300 mature individuals per population for short-lived perennials. Each population should persist at this level for a minimum offive consecutive years. • Delisting Objective forArgyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum Delisting ofthis taxon would be appropriate if the threat to its pollinators from the alien Argentine ant is controlled through management action, no other threat ofcomparable magnitude arises during that time, and the single population continues to exceed 50,000 individuals. Actions Needed: 1. Protect current populations, manage threats and monitor. 2. Conduct research essential to conservation ofthe species. 3. Expand current populations. 4. Establish new populations as needed to reach recovery objectives. 5. Validate and revise recovery objectives. Total Estimated Cost of Recovery: $80,019,000 Date of Recovery: To be determined once more is known about the biology and population dynamics ofthe Maui cluster taxa. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Pare INTRODUCTION 1 A. Brief Overview 1 B. Overall Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 4 C. Overall Conservation Efforts 6 D. Species Accounts 7 1.Acaenae.xigua 8 a. Description 8 b. Taxonomy 8 c. Current and Histone Range and Population Status 9 d. Life History 9 e. Habitat Description 9 f. Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 9 g. Conservation 10 h. Needed Recovery Actions 11 2. Aledryon macrococcus 12 a. Description 12 b. Taxonomy 12 c. Current and Histone Range and Population Status 13 d.LifeHistory 14 e. Habitat Description 14 f Reasons for Delme and Current Threats 14 g. Conservation 17 h. Needed Recovery Actions .. 17 3. Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephahim 19 a. Description 19 b. Taxonomy 19 c. Current and Historic Range and Population Status 20 d. Life History 21 e. Habitat Description 21 f Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 22 g. Conservation 23 h. Needed Recovery Actions 24 4. Bidens micrantha ssp. kalealaha 25 a. Description 25 b. Taxonomy 25 c. Current and Historic Range and Population Status 26 d.LifeHistory 27 e. Habitat Description 27 f. Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 27 g. Conservation 28 h. Needed Recovery Actions 29 5. Clermontia oblong~folia 30 vi a. Description 30 b. Taxonomy 30 c. Current and Histonc Range and Population Status 31 d. Life History 32 e. Habitat Description 32 f Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 32 g. Conservation 33 h. Needed Recovery Actions 33 6. Cyanea lobata 34 a. Description 34 b. Taxonomy 34 c. Current and I-hstonc Range and Population Status 35 d. Life History 35 e. Habitat Description 36 f. Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 36 g. Conservation 36 h. Needed Recovery Actions 36 7. Cyanea mceldowneyz 37 a. Description 37 b. Taxonomy 38 c. Current and Historic Range and Population Status 38 d. Life History 39 e. Habitat Description 39 f Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 39 g. Conservation 40 h. Needed Recovery Actions 40 8. Geranium arboreum 40 a. Description 40 b. Taxonomy 41 c. Current and Historic Range and Population Status 41 d. Life History 41 e. Habitat Description 42 f Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 42 h. Needed Recovery Actions 44 9. Geranium mult~florum 44 a. Description 44 b. Taxonomy 45 c. Current and Historic Range and Population Status 45 d. Life History 46 e. Habitat Description 46 f. Reasons for Decline and Current Threats 46 g. Conservation 47 h. Needed Recovery Measures 47 10. Hedyotis coriacea 47 a. Description 47 b. Taxonomy 48 c. Current and Histonc Range and Population Status 48 d. Life History 49 vii e. Habitat Description 49 f. Reasons forDecline and Current Threats 49 g.