Shrub 0.5-2.5 m tall, forming dense clumps up to 2.5 m across, leaves opposite. Diagnostic features of the species include basally coalesced peripheral receptacular bracts with distal lobes broad and conspicuously overlapping, and pappus of lanceolate scales much exceeded by the corolla. Flowering occurs from August to October.
This species is found only on Kaua'i, in the open summit bog of Wai'ale'ale at about 1,550 m elevation (subsp. acronaea G. Carr), and in openings of wet forests in the Wahiawa Stream drainage at about 700 m elevation (subsp. imbricata). It occurs in sites receiving about 375->1,000 cm of annual precipitation.
Last Modification: May 14, 2000
Each "thumbnail" image below is linked to a larger photograph.
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Note highly branched, rather compact crown (subsp. imbricata) (photo 1979, Wahiawa Stream, Kaua'i) |
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Note opposite leaves and flowering stems (subsp. imbricata) (photo 1979, Wahiawa Stream, Kaua'i) |
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Note corolla much exceeding the pappus (subsp. imbricata) (photo 1979, Wahiawa Stream, Kaua'i) |
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Note overlapping of free expanded distal portions of receptacular bracts (subsp. imbricata) (photo 1979, Wahiawa Stream, Kaua'i) |
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This appears to be the poorly known subsp. acronaea. The photo was taken on Waialeale where this plant was growing adjacent to D. waialealae. |