- Wilkesia gymnoxiphium
Taxobox
name = "Wilkesia gymnoxiphium"
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Wilkesia gymnoxiphium" growing inLimahuli Garden and Preserve
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Asterales
familia =Asteraceae
genus = "Wilkesia "
species = "W. gymnoxiphium"
binomial = "Wilkesia gymnoxiphium"
binomial_authority = A.Gray"Wilkesia gymnoxiphium" (Hawaiian iliau), also sometimes called a "green sword" is a species of
Wilkesia native toKauai ,Hawaii . It is a descendant of theNorth America ntarweed . Other descendants include the Halakalasilversword and theDubautia species."Wilkesia gymnoxiphium" is an unbranched monocarpic rosette shrub, with rosettes elevated on woody stems as much as 5 meters tall. Distinctive features include a commonly unbranched, monocarpic axis, leaves in whorls of 9-15 that join to form a basal sheath around the stem, and peduncles that are commonly branched. Fountains of yellow,
daisy -like flowers form mostly May to July.This species occurs only on
Kauai , on dry ridges or dry to mesic forests. The most common location is along the slopes ofWaimea Canyon . Elevations range from about 425-1100 meters, with precipitation ranging from 80-200 cm per year.Heavily grazed by feral goats in the canyon, they are most often seen on inaccessible slopes. However, a dense population can be seen in a fenced enclosure just off the road heading to
Koke'e State Park .
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.