About the plant
Calystegia affinis is a rare native of both Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. Interestingly the Norfolk Island’s plants have white flowers, but on Lord Howe Island they’re pink.
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Not yet evaluated
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species uses a set of criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of the world’s species. The ongoing mission is to evaluate every plant species in the world.
IUCN Red List Status:
Not yet evaluatedData deficientLeast concernNear threatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically endangeredExtinct in the wildExtinct -
Banked in the MSBSeeds from this plant have been banked in Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, at Wakehurst in Sussex
Facts
- A climbing vine
- Shares characteristics with morning glory
- 45 plants known in 2003

G Butler © Australian National Botanic Gardens

© Ian Hutton

© Ian Hutton
Few and far between
A single specimen of this vine was found in 1985 on Lord Howe Island.
Since then just a handful more have been found in two different habitats, in the northern part of the island on the lower slopes of Dawson’s Ridge, and on Mount Lidgbird in the southern mountains.
On Mount Lidgbird Calystegia affinis grows intermingled with dense Kikuyu and buffalo grasses. Competition for nutrients from the grasses stops it from flowering.
The estimated number of mature plants on Norfolk Island is around 40.
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Not yet evaluated
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species uses a set of criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of the world’s species. The ongoing mission is to evaluate every plant species in the world.
IUCN Red List Status:
Not yet evaluatedData deficientLeast concernNear threatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically endangeredExtinct in the wildExtinct -
Banked in the MSBSeeds from this plant have been banked in Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, at Wakehurst in Sussex