Sesbania tomentosa
Species of legume
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sesbania tomentosa, commonly known as Oahu riverhemp[3] and Ê»Åhai, is an endangered species of plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands as well as NÄ«hoa and Necker Island. It inhabits low shrublands and, rarely, dry forests,[4] at elevations from sea level to 2,500 ft (760 m).[5] Associated native plant species include Ê»akiÊ»aki (Sporobolus virginicus), Ê»ilima (Sida fallax), naupaka kahakai (Scaevola taccada), and pili (Heteropogon contortus).[1] Off-road vehicles, wildfires, grazing, and alien species competition have destroyed their habitat on the main islands, but they are still quite common on NÄ«hoa and Necker. At least 2,000 specimens grow on NÄ«hoa, while there are far less on Necker.
| Sesbania tomentosa | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Sesbania |
| Species: | S. tomentosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Sesbania tomentosa | |
| Synonyms | |
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Agati tomentosa (Hook. & Arn.) Nutt. ex A.Gray[2] | |
Ê»Åhai is highly polymorphic, exhibiting broad variations in color and shape. Plants that grow on NÄ«hoa have reddish-orange flowers and young leaflets that are relatively hairless. Necker plants have salmon to orange colored-flowers, and leaflets that are very hairy. A form that grows as a standing tree exists on MolokaÊ»i. Ê»Åhai grows as a prostrate shrub with semi-glaucous hairless leaves on the southernmost tip of the island of HawaiÊ»i, Ka Lae.
