Maui December 2013 Trip #3

	Wayne's Word		Index		Noteworthy Plants		Trivia		Lemnaceae		Biology 101		Botany		Scenic		Wildflowers		Trains		Spiders & Insects		Search

Home

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 3: Maui Plant Images

Note: Many of the showy and exotic ornamentals that are cultivated in southern California are naturalized in the tropical climate of the Hawaiian Islands.

Blue Egyptian water lily "blue lotus" (Nymphaea caerulea).

South American epiphytic bromeliad called "pink quill" (Tillandsia cyanea).

Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis), national flower of French Polynesia.

Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiodes): Family Araceae

My Favorite Plants (The Duckweeds) Are Related To Pistia: See Following DNA Cladogram

DNA Cladogram From Cabrera et al. (2008)
See The Wayne's Word Duckweed Page

Taro (Colocasia esculenta): Family Araceae

Corms of taro (Colocasia esculenta), a member of the arum family (Araceae). Corms are short, underground stems which lack the numerous eyes (buds) of potatoes. Like potatoes they are rich in starch grains (amyloplasts). Taro corms are rich in the soluble starch called amylose (soluble in hot water). The starch that is prevalent in most amyloplasts from other species is amylopectin (insoluble starch). Since they contain about 3% sugar, they are more like a sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) than a true potato (Solanum tuberosum). Sweet potatoes are actually storage roots, while true potatoes are technically referred to as tubers. Taro has a long list of common names throughout tropical countries of the world, including cocoyam, kolocasi and ocumo. In the Caribbean region and elsewhere it is called dasheen. According to some botanists, dasheen is the variety antiquorum. The corms are baked like potatoes, roasted, steamed, or crushed to make cakes. Hawaiian poi is made by steaming the corm, followed by crushing and natural fermentation.

Mesquite Scrub On Undeveloped Slopes Above Wailea

Mesquite "algoroba" (Prosopis pallida). West Maui Mtns in distance.

Wild tamarind (Leucaena leucocephala), another ubiquitous weedy shrub along Maui roadsides. This species produces thousands of flattened legume pods containing shiny brown seeds. It is generally thought to be native to Mexico and Central America, but is naturalized throughout tropical regions of the world. Right: Close-up view of globose inflorescences of this species in the Palomar College Arboretum. The flowers have reduced petals and conspicuous stamens, typical of the subfamily Mimosoideae.

Wild tamarind (Leucaena leucocephala) produces thousands of elongate, flattened legume pods containing numerous seeds. The shiny brown seeds are commonly strung into elaborate necklaces in Caribbean and Hawaiian islands. They are often used as spacers between bright red seeds from coral trees (Erythrina) or other species.

Two Native Shrubs On Subalpine Slopes Of Haleakala

Slopes of Haleakala shrouded in clouds.

Pukiawe (Styphelia tameiameae): Family Epacridaceae

Maui "na'ena'e" (Dubautia menziesii): Family Asteraceae

Dubautia menziesii, a silver sword relative near summit of Haleakala Crater.

A silver sword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum) in full bloom near the rim of Haleakala Crater on the island of Maui. A flower stalk bearing masses of daisylike flowers grows out of a dense rosette of silvery, sword-shaped leaves.

Read About The Silver Sword Alliance

Cook Pine (Araucaria columnaris): Native to New Caledonia

The Cook pine typically leans like this in southern California.