Polypody Family

This has become a rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Originally known from all of the major Hawaiian Islands, now it is only found in Glenwood on the Big Island and in a few small populations on Kauai. According to USFWS, the population has declined rapidly (2009), with over 1200 individuals in the 1990's and now only 51-123 individuals in 2009. In my limited perspective, this species is on the brink of extinction.

This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Originally known from all of the major Hawaiian Islands, now it is only found in Glenwood on the Big Island and in a few small populations on Kauai. According to USFWS, the population has declined rapidly (2009), with over 1200 individuals in the 1990's and now only 51-123 individuals in 2009. In my limited perspective, this species is on the brink of extinction.

This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Originally known from all of the major Hawaiian Islands, now it is only found in Glenwood on the Big Island and in a few small populations on Kauai. According to USFWS, the population has declined rapidly (2009), with over 1200 individuals in the 1990's and now only 51-123 individuals in 2009. In my limited perspective, this species is on the brink of extinction.

This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Glenwood on the Big Island is supposed to have the largest population of Adenophorus periens, with 30 plants found in 1998. I have only found 1 plant on 3 trips in this area, during 2012-2013. In the most recent USFWS status report in 2009, only 51-123 plants are known to exist in all the Hawaiian Islands. In my limited perspective, I would venture that this species is on the brink of extinction.

This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Glenwood on the Big Island is supposed to have the largest population of Adenophorus periens, with 30 plants found in 1998. I have only found 1 plant on 3 trips in this area, during 2012-2013. In the most recent USFWS status report in 2009, only 51-123 plants are known to exist in all the Hawaiian Islands. In my limited perspective, I would venture that this species is on the brink of extinction.

Note some of the key characteristics of this specieis: hairy blade margins, upper lobe margins perpendicular to the midrib, lobes which rotate like louvers out of the plane of the pendent fronds. This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. In my limited perspective, I would venture that this species is on the brink of extinction. Elevation of this photo around 2305ft/703m.

This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. In my limited perspective, I would venture that this species is on the brink of extinction with less than 150 individuals known to exist (USFWS 2009). Elevation of this photo around 2305ft/703m.

This has become a very rare and endangered fern in a genus endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. In my limited perspective, I would venture that this species is on the brink of extinction with less than 150 individuals known to exist (USFWS 2009). Elevation of this photo around 2305ft/703m. Photo shows the abaxial blade surface.

This is a rare and endangered fern endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Elevation approximately 2300 ft (700m)

This is a rare and endangered fern endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Elevation approximately 2300 ft (700m). Note distal margins of lobes curling away from midrib.

This is a rare and endangered fern endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Elevation approximately 2300 ft (700m). Note distal margins of lobes curling away from midrib and hairy blade margins.

This is a rare and endangered fern endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Elevation approximately 2300 ft (700m). This side angle photo shows the distal margins of lobes curling away from midrib, a key characteristic.

This is a rare and endangered fern endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Elevation approximately 2300 ft (700m).

This is a rare and endangered fern endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Elevation approximately 2300 ft (700m). This photo of the abaxial frond surface shows pinnate veins with branches, hairy blade margins, curling distal margins of lobes and sori. Only 1 plant observed - very brief survey.

When I first began studying this fern, I was intrigued that it had become rare and that it was reduced to only 2 islands. On further study, I found that it had disappeared from the National Park and that the largest population was only 5 miles from my house. I began searching for this plant (listed as endangered now) and was frustrated that it was no longer plentiful along the trail in Kahaualea NAR. After a few years, I finally found a fern, and on that excitement, I continued searching for more. I spent more time searching, and checking on the one fern I had found. I also checked with botanists on Kauai where several small populations had been recorded in the past, but they reported that they had not seen the fern since the 1990's. The endangered species 5-year reports showed a very rapid decline in population. I started to realize that this one fern could possibly be the last and kept a close eye on it. I told my children about it and mentioned it every time we drove by the road which cut off the highway to the trailhead leading into the forest where it was found. Even after I moved off island, I would check on it when I was in the area. Unfortunately, this January (2016), I hiked to the fern and found no live fronds. The IUCN now lists it as critically endangered and possibly extinct. Sure, I hope that there are more to be found and perhaps live spores can be obtained. But, I became so connected with this species after years of sweat and mud and working my way through invasives. It was a beautiful fern with alternating, twisting pinnae, hanging pendant on tree trunks in the rain forest. When I would photograph it, I would listen to the Omao and Apapane singing around me. One day, returning from the fern, I startled a Hawaiian Hoary Bat as I worked my way through a thick section of Uluhe, and I'm sure it scared me as much as it did the bat. Let's hope there are more pendant Kihi ferns, just a little further out in the forest.