C. canariensis is one of a group of unrelated Canarian plants that appear to be adapted for bird pollination, including the members of the genera Isoplexis and Lotus. It was once thought that the original pollinators of these plants were sunbirds which had become extinct on the Canary Islands, explaining why some of these species are rare and considered endangered (Vogel 1954; Vogel et al.
C. canariensis is a Canarian plant believed to have evolved for bird pollination, with other related plants like Isoplexis and Lotus also exhibiting this adaptation. The extinction of sunbirds on the Canary Islands was previously thought to be responsible for the rarity and endangerment of some species within this group.