General Information

COMMON NAMES: Hawaiian Shore-Grass, Hilo Ischaemum GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Eastern Polynesia (Hawai‘i, Cooks - Australs) COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native, Endemic of e.Polynesia; Land, Shoreline, in sand among rocks. SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Nationally endangered (moderately) KEY FEATURES: Erect grass to 60cm; flower-head 7cm yellow, long bristles basally brown. LEAF-BLADES ascending, flat, to 15cm x 4mm, without hairs. FLOWER-HEAD yellowish, about 7cm x 5mm, 2 equal racemes interlocked back-to-back. FLOWERS paired, 1 sessile and 1 on 3mm stalk, each with fine silvery hairs, and a 25mm bristle (=awn) - basal third dark brown, rest yellow with minute spines.

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
-	++	+	+	++	+	-	-	-

Northern Group: -
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Ischaemum byrone (Trin.)
SYNONYMS: Spodiopogon byrone; Andropogon byrone; Ischaemum lutescens

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); LILIOPSIDA (=Monocotyledones); COMMELINIDAE; Cyperales; POACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
BIODIVERSITY: Nationally endangered (moderately). Comment: Listed by IUCN as "Vulnerable".

GENERAL NOTE: A shore grass of Hawaii, presumably spread to the Cook Islands and the Austral Islands by migratory birds from Alaska, such as the Pacific Golden-Plover and Bristle-thighed Curlew.

Vouchers:
Mangaia: field ID, 9/2000, GMcC, 200m south of main Harbour.

References:
p.1556 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

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