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 different. P. sandwicensis has a much more truncate leaf base and a better defined petiole, whereas P. umbellifera has a cuneate base and less of a petiole. Naturally, there are other differences as well. But I hope this helps in the field.
*From Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai’i
Well, worked on some behind the scenes stuff today.
By the way, is Carr’s UH botany page gone? That’s a lot of links I’ll have to go back and fix if it’s not there anymore.
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 seen M. angustifolia in wetter habitats than mariscoides but there is a lot of overlap.
Considering that I work with sedges that will give you thousands of cuts you painfully feel later (e.g. Cyperus javanicus & Carex wahuensis), it’s really nice to come across this pretty plant with such smooth edges. It’s the little thing in life I enjoy. And one hit wonders from the mid-90’s apparently.
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 the Ko’olau range, the forest in its own unique way, let me relive some of that joyful past.
Looking like a lizard...
I had mentioned in my last article about plants that I had seen previously in Pupukea. Only after posting that did I realize that I never uploaded the other half of the Kaunala excursion. Which is a shame because there are some neat plants there that are easy to see. So, after about a 9 month interstitial, here are more plants from the Pupukea area.
Papala (Charpentiera ovata) is still found scattered in many valleys and gulches of Moloka’i, Maui, and Hawai’i. On O’ahu its range is limited to the Southern Ko’olaus. C. ovata is split into 2 different varieties. The more common var. ovata has leaves with the widest point near the base of the leaf.
The other variety, the aptly named niuensis, is only found in Niu and Wailupe Valley. I came across this individual off a side spur of Niu. This population of C. ovata has the widest point near the middle of the leaf lengthwise, giving it a more elliptic overall appearance.
A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of attending Don Hodel’s talk on the native Loulu palms (Pritchardia spp.) found here in Hawai’i. It was highly informative. Mostly, Dr. Hodel focused on the key distinctions between various species. The very next week, as if on cue, the L.I.C.H. Native Plant Initiative was having their Pritchardia hike. Armed with this new found knowledge, I joined them on a hike for Loulus above La’ie.
Sedges are a key component of the forest understory. Here, I just wanted to highlight the big difference between 2 native species of Gahnia is Hawai’i. The infloresence for the 2 is quite different. Pictured above is Gahnia beecheyi. It is still a common plant on many trails on O’ahu. Pictured below is it’s congener, Gahnia aspera.
This was the plant from the Kaunala trail. Notice how much more robust the infloresence is on G. aspera. I don’t believe they are sympatric: G. aspera is typically found in drier areas than G. beecheyi. Keep an eye out for both.
Studia Mirabilium 