''Acalypha wilderi'' was a species of

spurge ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...

that was only known from forested habitats along the northern and western sides of

Rarotonga Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of , and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 13,007 of a total population of 17,434. The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings a ...

in the

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

, at elevations of 200–300 m. Very little is known about this species, but collections suggest it was a small shrub rarely exceeding 2 m in height. Its habitat has been greatly modified for agriculture, roads, housing, plantations and invasive species, and has not been seen since 1929, and was declared

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

in 2014. This species may be synonymous with '' A. raivavensis'' and '' A. tubuaiensis''. Possible causes of extinction: the reason for its extinction is unknown.

References

wilderi Extinct plants Endemic flora of the Cook Islands {{Euphorbiaceae-stub