Ischaemum byrone

Ischaemum byrone
In Haleakalā National Park, Maui
Imperiled
Imperiled (NatureServe)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus: Ischaemum
Species:
I. byrone
Binomial name
Ischaemum byrone
(Trin.) Hitchc. (1922)
Synonyms[3]
  • Andropogon byronis (Trin.) Steud. (1854)
  • Ischaemum lutescens Hack. (1832)
  • Spodiopogon byronis Trin. (1889)

Ischaemum byrone, commonly known as Hilo murainagrass or Hilo ischaemum, is a species of grass native to the Pacific Islands, including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaiian Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Society Islands, Tonga, Tubuai Islands, and Wallis and Futuna.[3] In Hawaii it is found on the islands of Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii but has unfortunately been extirpated from Oahu, where it was once known to grow.[2] There are perhaps 1,000 to 3,000 individual plants remaining in total.[2]

This grass is perennial, spreading via stolons, with stems reaching up to 80 centimetres (31 in) in maximum height.[2] It usually grows at the coastline, often in cracks in the lava cliffs.[4]

On the island of Hawaii, there are at least four populations and perhaps more scattered occurrences. At least one large occurrence has been recently destroyed by a lava flow at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.[5] There are at least five occurrences on Kauai and six on Maui with up to several thousand plants existing.[5] On Molokai, a 1994 count estimated about 1000 individuals.[5]

Threats to this species include volcanism, development, trampling, non-native plants, fire, and off-road vehicles.[2]

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I. byrone flowering

References

  1. ↑ Opgenorth, M.; Rønsted, N. (2025). "Ischaemum byrone". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2025 e.T80091251A80091291. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-2.RLTS.T80091251A80091291.en.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 I. byrone. Archived 2002-11-21 at the Wayback Machine The Nature Conservancy.
  3. 1 2 "Ischaemum byrone (Trin.) Hitchc". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  4. ↑ I. byrone. Colorado State.
  5. 1 2 3 USFWS. I. byrone Five-year Review. August 2010.
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