This is an interesting plant. It grows in high elevations and I believe is quite rare. I can see what appears to be a stalk where flowers would grow, but I've never seen them. This picture was taken in March 2007 at about 10,000 ft elevation on Mauna Kea.
Botanically Argyroxiphium sandwicense. "The botanical name of the genus, Argyroxiphium, consists of two parts from the Greek, "argyros" = silver and "xiphium" = dagger, in reference to the long, dagger- or sword-like leaves covered in fine, silky hairs which give them a silvery appearance. The hairs serve an important function in protecting the leaves from the full impact of bright sunlight at the elevations where this species lives, in the neighborhood of 9,000 to 10,000 feet on Mauna Kea on Hawai'i and Haleakala on East Maui. They also serve as protection against desiccation, a serious problem at higher elevations, where, in addition to strong sunlight, a plant is frequently subjected to strong winds. The specific epithet (some people call this the "species name") sandwicense reflects the geographic origin of the species, the Sandwich Islands." --B.A. Bohm, Hawai'i's Native Plants The flowers are daisies with unimpressive small ray florets.
I believe so...this article on a similar plant is identified as succulent. [WIKI]Haleakala Silversword[/WIKI]
What an AWESOME picture! How in the world did you get all the way up there to take the picture? You'd have to have a 4x4 Jeep or something...
