Category Archives: Botany

Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #13: Cyanea truncata

Cyanea truncata Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: O’ahu (Windward Ko’olau gulches) Date photographed: 4/1/2011 Ease of viewing: Difficult *Identification: Form– Shrubs 0.3-2 m tall; stems unbranched or sparingly branched from base; muricate. Leaves– obovate, blades 22-60 cm long, 10-26 cm wide; … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #12: Cyanea hirtella

Cyanea hirtella Conservation Status: Apparently Secure Distribution: Kaua’i Date photographed: 9/22/2010 Ease of viewing: Easy *Identification: Form– Unbranched or sparingly branched shrubs 1-6 m tall. Leaves– oblanceolate to oblong; blades 10-27 cm, 2-6 cm wide; margins minutely callose-denticulate to callose-serrulate; … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged | Leave a comment

My Favorite Gentian

The far Southeast of O’ahu is known for its surf. Whether it’s Hanauma Bay, Sandy’s, Makapu’u, there are plenty of places to get outside and enjoy the ocean-side of nature. But what of hillsides? Well, there is still a ghostly … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | Leave a comment

You say gaudichaudiana, I say gaudichaudii

Today’s short post is all about duality. The number two can up for a few plants we saw on today’s hike. Well duality and one pretty native vine.

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The treasures of Hidden Valley

I went with the O’ahu Plant Extinction Prevention folks to help with 2 very endangered plants found on the windward side of the island: Schidea kaalae and Cyanea truncata. We hiked up a ridgeline to Makaua Gulch, or also known colloquially as … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | 2 Comments

C. angustifolia blowing in the wind

Every hike I go on, I’m always on the lookout for lobeliads on the rare chance that I actually come across one. Over the weekend, I challenged myself by searching the Pia-Niu Valley area specifically for lobeliads with nothing but … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged | Leave a comment

Snapshot: Pe’ahi

I really need to take some time from hiking and reading scientific literature to learn how to take better pictures.  Anyway, here is one of my better compositions. Pe’ahi (Microsorum spectrum) is a cute little fern with neat deltate fronds … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Glam shots of the Manoa Cliff Natives

We have been working hard at restoring the native forest at our site along the Manoa Cliff trail. While there has been great strides since the project started in 2005, the trail itself outside our area still has some great … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A brief look at Hawaiian Rutaceae

Major components of varied Hawaiian plant communities are the native members of the citrus family (Rutaceae). No tasty oranges here though. But the good thing, at least on O’ahu, is that they are an almost guaranteed sighting on most summit … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #11: Delissea waianaeensis

Delissea waianaeensis Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: O’ahu (Wai’anae range) Date photographed: 2/26/2011 Ease of viewing: Difficult *Identification: Form– Branched or unbranched shrubs 1-3 m tall. Leaves– ovate to ovate-lanceolate; blades 12-30 cm long by 6-17 cm wide; margins crenate, denticulate, … Continue reading

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | 2 Comments