Nehe kuhiwa (Phyllostegia electra)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 172515205

Conservation of the Critically Endangered Hawaiian species Phyllostegia electra (Lamiaceae)

The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving tropical plant diversity and curtailing the wave of extinction - through plant exploration, propagation, habitat restoration, scientific research, and education. Phyllostegia electra, or nehe kuhiwa in Hawaiian, is endemic to mesic and wet forests on the island of Kauaʻi, one of the eight major islands making up the Hawaiian archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. The species was assessed by NTBG staff in 2015, using the IUCN Red List criteria, as Critically Endangered. Among approximately 15 subpopulations, there are currently an estimated 40-50 individuals remaining, and these numbers continue to decline. The following specific components of the proposed project: 1) to make robust conservation collections from wild populations, 2) genetic diversity research, 3) outplanting into appropriately protected and managed habitat, and 4) investigating optimal seed storage protocols, will directly contribute to the conservation of this species.