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Hawaiian silversword - Argyroxiphium sandwicense - ARKive
SearchHomepage > Species > Global > Plants and algae > Hawaiian silversword
Hawaiian silversword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense)
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© John Mason / www.ardea.com
Status: Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants.
Subspecies: Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. sandwicense classified as Endangered (EN).
Description
The striking Hawaiian silversword stands out starkly against the volcanic landscape of its habitat. This plant consists of a rosette of narrow, pointed silver leaves that may be up to 40 cm long, together forming a silvery sphere.
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Hawaiian silversword - overview
Video Credits:© NHNZ ImagesAudio Credits:© Master Tracks
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Hawaiian silver-sword plants © Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh [ medium ] [ large ]
http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/plants_and_algae/Argyroxiphium_sandwicense/ (1 of 2)4/6/2005 8:21:09 AM
Hawaiian silversword - Argyroxiphium sandwicense - ARKive
The common name for this species comes from the shape of the leaves; these are stiff, narrowly sword-shaped, and covered with silky, silver hair. These plants are particularly dramatic when in flower; the tall inflorescence grows up from the rosette of leaves and may reach 3 metres tall, and 75 cm wide (2). Between 50 and 600 compound flower heads are carried on the inflorescence; the individual flowers are pink or wine red in colour. Two subspecies are recognised; Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum has a more elliptical-looking inflorescence than A. s. subsp. sandwicense, which is thicker.
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Hawaiian silver-sword plant © Stan Osolinski / OSF / Photolibrary.com [ medium ] [ large ]
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http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/plants_and_algae/Argyroxiphium_sandwicense/ (2 of 2)4/6/2005 8:21:09 AM
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