Resurrection of Cyrtandra kipahuluensis (Gesneriaceae)

Recent fieldwork has revealed multiple populations in several localities that correspond morphologically to the type of Cyrtandra kipahuluensis H. St. John, collected by C. N. Forbes in 1919. Since the type was the only collection of this species until recent discoveries, and because it had an atypical zygomorphic calyx morphology, the specimen was considered to be a putative hybrid by Wagner et al. (1990, 1999).

However, within the past decade, this distinctive calyx morphology has been found to be consistent, occurring in numerous populations across East Maui and in a single locality in West Maui. These new data provide substantial evidence that these populations should be recognized as a distinctive species.