Cyanea st-johnii
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Cyanea st-johnii faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from invasive plant species that outcompete native vegetation in its montane forest ecosystem. Feral ungulates, particularly pigs and goats, trample and destroy individual plants while degrading the understory habitat essential for regeneration. The species' extremely limited population size makes it vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks that could drive it to extinction.
Habitat
Cyanea st-johnii is endemic to the montane wet forests of Hawaii, typically found in native ohia-dominated ecosystems at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters. The species requires intact understory conditions with high humidity and protection from direct sunlight provided by the forest canopy.
