Monthly Archives: December 2011

The Wonders of Rediscovery

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

I thought Christmas was over. I had just finished a post about the wonderful gift of being able to see rare Achatinella snails in the Ko’olaus. I’ll have to happily revise my Christmas gift. On a whim, Mashuri and I … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #18: Cyanea humboldtiana

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

Cyanea humboldtiana Hawaiian Name: Haha Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: O’ahu (Ko’olau range) Date photographed: December 10, 2011 *Identification: Form– Stems woody, 1-2m long. Leaves– obovate to broadly elliptic; blades 18-45 cm long, 7-16 cm wide; upper surface glabrous, lower surface pubescent; petioles 3-4 … Continue reading →

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Snapshot: Christmas at the Zoo

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

Every year, I try to make it to the “Christmas at the Zoo” event here at the Honolulu Zoo. It always makes for interesting shots like this one. As discombobulating as seeing a Chimp drinking heartily from a Gatorade bottle … Continue reading →

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Snapshot: Papala kepau

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

Time for another comparison. The larger leaf on the left is the common species of Papala kepau (Pisona umbellifera) in the Ko’olaus. The one on the right is the rarer Pisona sandwicensis. As you can see, the leaf bases are much … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #17: Cyanea pohaku

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

Cyanea pohaku Conservation Status: Extinct Distribution: East Maui (Pu’unianiau) Date photographed: October 11, 1910? (J.F. Rock) *Identification: Form– Sparingly branched trees 6-7 m tall. Leaves– oblanceolate; blades 16-30 cm long by 1.5-4 cm wide; margins callose-crenulate; winged petioles 0.8-2 cm long. Flower– … Continue reading →

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Well, worked on some behind the scenes stuff today. Added Joel Lau’s flickr page to the links. There aren’t too many places out there to get better up-to-date information on native flora than his page. Added Hawai’i Loa Ridge to … Continue reading →

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez | Leave a comment

Snapshot: Los del Rio’s Machaerina

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

Don’t everybody start dancing all at once now. Of the 2 native Machaerina found in Hawai’i, Uki (Machaerina angustifolia) is more easily differentiated from M. mariscoides by being a typically larger plant and a deeper shade of green. I’ve usually … Continue reading →

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It’s a White Christmas from the Hawaiian Forest

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

The holiday season is full of magic and warmth and giving, no matter where in the world you happen to be. But growing up in the Midwest, I’ve grown to miss the Christmas of my youth. This past hike into … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #16: Lobelia niihauensis

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Sebastian Marquez

Lobelia niihauensis Conservation Status: Rare Distribution: Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu (Northern Wai’anae Mts) Date photographed: 8/10/2011 *Identification: Form– Stems woody, prostrate, 2-4 dm long. Leaves– Leaves narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate; 7-15 cm long, 0.7-1.8 cm wide; sessile or subsessile. Flower– hypanthium obconical to … Continue reading →

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