Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Cressler, Alan

Argyroxiphium kauense

Argyroxiphium kauense (Rock & Neal) O. Deg. & I. Deg.

Mauna Loa Silversword, Kau Silversword

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Argyroxiphium sandwicense var. kauense

USDA Symbol: ARKA2

USDA Native Status: HI (N)

From the Image Gallery

1 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Size Notes: To about 8 feet in height.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: HI
Native Distribution: Endemic to Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Threatened & Endangered Status

USFWS Species Profile: Q1T2
Status: Endangered
Historic Range: U.S.A. (HI)
Critical Habitat: 17.96(a)
Special Rules: N/A
This information is derived from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serrvice Environmental Conservation Online System.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:							FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Argyroxiphium kauense in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Argyroxiphium kauense in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Argyroxiphium kauense

Metadata

Record Modified: 2015-05-08
Research By: Joseph A. Marcus

Go back