Category Archives: Nature

Identifying native plant seedlings

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

It is difficult enough to try and identify the hundreds of different plant species native to Hawai’i. Keying out the different characteristics takes a lot of work and patience. Identifying native seedlings adds more challenges for many of them look … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Birds of Hakalau

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

Finally, I was able to cross off something that I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time. Over the weekend, our regular group of Manoa Cliff volunteers was able to help with the Hakalau National Wildlife refuge on the … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #27: Cyanea lanceolata

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

Cyanea lanceolata Hawaiian Name: Haha Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: O’ahu (Ko’olau mountains) Date photographed: 7/20/2013 Ease of viewing: Difficult *Identification: Form– Stems woody, muricate in juveniles Leaves– elliptic to oblanceolate, blades 15-60 cm long, 5.5-14 cm wide Flower– calyx lobes triangular, 1-3 mm long; … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #26: Cyanea acuminata

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

Cyanea acuminata Hawaiian Name: Haha Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: O’ahu (Ko’olau mountains) Date photographed: 6/22/2013 Ease of viewing: Difficult *Identification: Form– Shrub, 0.3-2 m tall Leaves– oblanceolate to narrowly obovate or elliptic, blades 11-32 cm long, 3-9 cm wide, base attenuate to … Continue reading →

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Snapshot: More Cyanea crispa flowers

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

We’ve been monitoring the health of a specimen of Cyanea crispa, an awesome lobeliad found in the dark understorey of Ko’olau forests. A few months back, a rotten ‘ohia branch crashed down mere feet away from this plant. It survived … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #25: Delissea kauaiensis

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

Delissea kauaiensis (cultivated) Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: Kaua’i Date photographed: 6/26/2013 Ease of viewing: Cultivated *Identification: Form– Treelet or tree (rarely sparingly branched), 1.2-4.5 m tall. Leaves– 5.7-19.0 cm long, 2-11 cm wide, ovate or lanceolate, margin coarsely biserrate or crenate. Flower– … Continue reading →

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Getting to know your Hawaiian Lobeliads #24: Delissea rhytidosperma

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

Delissea rhytidosperma (cultivated) Conservation Status: Endangered Distribution: Kaua’i Date photographed: 1/3/2012 Ease of viewing: Cultivated *Identification: Form– Shrub, 0.5-2.5 m tall. Leaves– 8-19 cm long, 2.0-5.5 cm wide; oblanceolate, elliptic, or narrowly elliptic; margins serrulate or crenulate Flower– calyx lobes 0.5-1.0 … Continue reading →

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‘Aka’aka’awa refugium

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

I was super excited to finally come across this cool native plant. This is the sole native begonia to Hawai’i: ‘Aka’aka’awa (Hillebrandia sandwicensis). I personally like to say it in the same cadence as the name of a certain young … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

I didn’t bring a camera on a quick, impromptu trip to Maui, but I just want to say that Hosmer Grove is incredible! Sure, it’s mostly alien eucalyptus and pine trees that were planted, but… wow! What birdlife! Considering on O’ahu we … Continue reading →

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez | 2 Comments

More Southern Koolau Goodies

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Sebastian Marquez

  Finally, a proper hiking post. I’d rather not turn this place into just a quarterly report. Anyway, I was able to slip away for an all day hike above Honolulu. And once again, the bounty of the mountains never … Continue reading →

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