Cyanea rivularis
Cyanea rivularis is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name plateau cyanea. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Kauai. There are three small populations of the plant remaining in the wild, for a total of 19 individual plants. The plant was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1996.
This Hawaiian lobelioid is a shrub growing 4 to 5 meters tall. It bears blue-striped white flowers. It grows in wet forest habitat, generally next to streams, waterfalls, and plunge pools. Other plants in the habitat include ōhia lehua and uluhe, which dominate the canopy, and kanawao, ieie and aiea in the understory.
This ecosystem is threatened by exotic plant species such as Koster's curse, Kahili ginger, and Santa Barbara daisy. Feral ungulates damage the habitat, and rats and slugs damage plants.