cabbage on a stick
Brighamia insignis
Brighamia insignis, commonly known as ʻŌlulu or Alula in Hawaiian, or colloquially as the vulcan palm or cabbage on a stick, is a species of Hawaiian lobelioid in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It was native to the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, but has been extinct in the wild since at least 2020.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighamia_insignis
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Family
Campanulaceae
Genus
Brighamia
cabbage on a stick belongs to the family Campanulaceae, order Asterales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Brighamia insignis, commonly known as ʻŌlulu or Alula in Hawaiian, or colloquially as the vulcan palm or cabbage on a stick, is a species of Hawaiian lobelioid in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It was native to the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, but has been extinct in the wild since at least 2020. This short-lived perennial species is a member of a unique endemic Hawaiian genus with only one other species.
Brighamia insignis faces extinction primarily due to the loss of its native pollinators and extremely limited habitat on Hawaiian sea cliffs. The species has declined to critically low numbers in the wild, with fewer than 120 individuals remaining, and now requires hand-pollination by humans to reproduce successfully.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Brighamia insignis was found at elevations from sea level to in mesic shrublands and dry forests that receive less than of annual rainfall. It grew on rocky ledges with little soil and steep sea cliffs. Associated plants include āhinahina (Artemisia spp.) akoko (Euphorbia celastroides), alahee (Psydrax odorata), kāwelu (Eragrostis variabilis), pili (Heteropogon contortus), kokio ula (Hibiscus...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Brighamia insignis faces extinction primarily due to the loss of its native pollinators and extremely limited habitat on Hawaiian sea cliffs. The species has declined to critically low numbers in the wild, with fewer than 120 individuals remaining, and now requires hand-pollination by humans to reproduce successfully.
Extremely restricted range and habitat
Invasive plant species competition
Loss of native pollinators
Habitat degradation from human activities
Natural disasters and climate events
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). cabbage on a stick (Brighamia insignis). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/cabbage-on-a-stick