Silversword L earning Objective  3
 
 
Define and give examples of the terms used in reference to plants' origin and in the particular case of the Hawaiian islands:
NATIVE: either indigenous or endemic.
INTRODUCED: either Polynesian or recent.
Explain how an introduced plant becomes naturalized.
Define flora.
Note: The definitions of terms and their usages given below are in the strict scientific sense. You may be more familiar with slightly different or broader interpretations of these terms. However, the scientific usage, as you will see, is more consistent and precise which provides clearer communication.

These terms are better understood when used in reference to a particular geographical site. Our reference will always be the Hawaiian Islands unless stated otherwise.

Graphic
 
  
Ohia Lehua 		 NATIVE   
Occurring naturally. Developed or migrated to the site without human help or intervention. 
 
  
Protea 		 INTRODUCED 
Brought to site intentionally or accidentally with human help or activity. 
I. TWO TYPES OF NATIVE PLANTS:
A - INDIGENOUS : found naturally at others sites, not restricted.
 
 
   
Pohuehue 		 Examples: Beach Naupaka and   
Pohuehue, or beach morning glory.
 
B - ENDEMIC: Found naturally only at the site and not elsewhere in the world.
 
 
   
Silversword 		 Examples: 'Ohi'a lehua and Silversword.
II. TWO TYPES OF INTRODUCED PLANTS
A - POLYNESIAN INTRODUCTIONS: Brought by original Polynesian voyagers to the islands. Many have been here 1,000 or more years. Botanists agree to 26 plus species. We will focus on 24 since 3 are in the same genus. (See pg. 17 of Sohmer and Gustafson text.)
 
Remember, these are NOT NATIVE or INDIGENOUS plants in terms of the strict scientific sense. They are introduced plants.


POLYNESIAN INTRODUCED PLANTS


FOR MORE DESCRIPTIONS AND VISUALS ABOUT THESE INTERESTING PLANTS, CLICK ON THE BLUE UNDERLINED PLANT NAMES.

*The information given about the medicinal uses of the plants listed below are from descriptions of Hawaiian accounts. This information is not complete or safe enough to be used without further direction from experienced sources.

Scientific Names Hawaiian/Common Names
  1. Aleurites moluccana 
  2. Alocasia macrorrhiza 
  3. Artocarpus altilis 
  4. Broussonetia papyrifera 
  5. Calophyllum inophyllum 
  6. Cocos nucifera 
  7. Colocasia esculenta 
  8. Cordia subcordata 
  9. Cordyline fruticosa 
  10. Curcuma longa 
  11. Dioscorea alata 
  12. Hibiscus tiliaceus 
  13. Ipomoea batatas 
  14. Lagenaria siceraria 
  15. Morinda citrifolia 
  16. Musa acuminata hybrids 
  17. Piper methysticum 
  18. Saccharum officinarum 
  19. Schizostachyum glaucifolium 
  20. Syzygium malaccense 
  21. Tacca leontopetaloides 
  22. Tephrosia purpurea 
  23. Thespesia populnea 
  24. Zingiber zerumbet 
  1. kukui, candlenut 
  2. 'ape 
  3. 'ulu, breadfruit 
  4. wauke, paper mulberry 
  5. kamani
  6. niu, coconut 
  7. kalo,taro 
  8. kou
  9. ki or ti 
  10. 'õlena, turmeric 
  11. uhi, yam
  12. hau
  13. 'uala, sweet potato 
  14. ipu, gourd 
  15. noni
  16. mai'a, banana
  17. 'awa,, kava 
  18. 'kõ,sugar
  19. 'ohe Hawaiian bamboo
  20. 'ohi'a 'ai, mountain apple 
  21. pia, arrowroot 
  22. 'auhuhu, fish poison plant 
  23. milo
  24. 'awapuhi, shampoo ginger 




B - RECENT INTRODUCTIONS: Plants brought to the islands starting at contact with the western world, from Captain Cook's arrival in 1778 to present time.

1. Many of these plants are called exotics, especially when referring to introduced cultivated plants like orchids, anthuriums, gingers, and heliconias.
  
Orchid 		   
Anthurium 		   
Kahili ginger 		   
Heliconia 
 

2. Also this group includes plants called aliens or weeds, which often have a negative impact on the environment, like haole koa(Leucaena leucocephala), paperbark (Melaleuca quiquenervia), Christmas berry (Schinus terebinthifolus), banana poka (Passiflora Mollissima) and scarlet-fruited or ivy gourd(Coccinia grandis).



III. Numbers of plants found in the different categories.
A. Native plants.
1. There are about 1,000+ species today.

2. Of these, about 900+ (89%) are endemic species, the highest percentage of a native flora in the world!

About 100 (10%) of these species are indigenous.
B. Introduced Plants:
1. Polynesian Introduced species number 24+ different species. (See list in text on page 17 of Sohmer and Gustafson.)

2. Recent introductions

Numbers in the 1000's! Dr. Lyon, during the early part of the 1900, claimed to have introduced 10,000 plants by seeds or other means. One educated guess is 8,000 to 13,000 species.
IV. Naturalized plants are:
A. Introduced plants become established in area of native plants without human assistance, then reproduce and spread.
Examples are Kukui, Koster's Curse, Christmas berry, fire tree and Banana poka.
 
  
Kukui in Flower 		   
Koster's Curse 		   
Christmas Berry 		   
Fire tree 		   
Banana Poka 
 
 

B. They are often detrimental to native plants by replacing them or crowding them out.

They number about 900 species or 44% of the plants found in the wild of Hawaii today!
V. Flora: Two meanings
A. Flora can refer to all plants of a region (like Hawaii), listed by species and considered as a whole.

B. Flora may refer to a reference book. For example, a flora of Hawaii would list and give descriptions of all native and naturalized plants of that region.

The Manual of Flowering Plants of Hawaii is a two volume reference set by Wagner, Herbst and Sohmer, available in most libraries in Hawaii.
 
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