Flora of Hawaiian Islands. Fauna of Alaska. Photo Album. 2020. Romans Arzjancevs

and 2 indigenous. The Yellow Hawaiian Hibiscus is the state flower. These large blooms, (often 4 to 6 inches in diameter), are the only yellow native but are not commonly seen.

      – While several species are endemic to the islands the borders and gardens of almost every hotel are lined with Hibiscus bushes that produce wonderful blooms almost yearround.

      – The vibrant colors and alluring scents are powerfully evocative of the Island Paradise. So much so the Yellow Hawaiian Hibiscus is the Official State Flower.

      HELICONIA

      – These are some of the most stunning tropicals grown in Maui. Because they come in so many shapes, sizes and colors it’s sometimes hard to believe they are the same species. They like to bloom in the shadow of their own leaves which can make them a challenge to spot in dense foliage but they can be seen growing wild in the rainforests of Hana.

      – Heliconia is named after Mount Helicon, the seat of the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts and sciences in Greek mythology.

      – The Heliconia’s bracts are so large and colorful that they almost hide the flowers altogether. This keeps the flower’s sweet nectar from other birds so that only specialized birds can get to it.

      BIRD OF PARADISE FLOWER

      – The popular Birds-of-Paradise plant bears a unique flower that resembles a brightly colored bird in flight, giving it the common name, Bird of Paradise. The Birds-of-Paradise flowers make the plant an exceptionally attractive landscape plant.

      – The scientific name is named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of England.

      – Birds of Paradise symbolize freedom, beauty and magnificence.

      – Birds of Paradise is the official flower of Los Angeles, California, where the majority of these flowers are grown in North America.

      LANAI

      ABUTILON EREMITOPETALUM

      – A. eremitopetalum is currently cultivated at the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources baseyard on Maui and at National Tropical Botanical Garden. Before A. eremitopetalum ’s listing as federally endangered, progeny of those plants had been distributed to other individuals for cultivation. The Hawaii Plant Conservation Center collected seed from A. eremitopetalum in May 1990.

      – About 60—70 plants were discovered in 1987 on a slope in Kahea Gulch (north fork) at elevations of between 241—320 m. In June 1989, 70 plants were observed in this same population. Eleven years later only 30 plants, some with flowers or fruit, were noted. By June 1993, all but seven had been killed by deer.

      – The petals are shorter than the calyx and are bright green on the upper surface and reddish on the lower surface. The staminal column extends beyond the calyx and is white to yellow, with red style branches tipped with green stigmas. The fruit is a hairy, brown, dry, cylindrical capsule and about 0.3 in (1 cm) long. It is the only Abutilon in the Hawaiian Islands whose flowers have green petals hidden within the calyx.

      PLEOMELE FERNALDII

      – It can be found in dry forests at elevations of 490—670 metres. It is threatened by habitat loss. 400—1000 of these plants remain in the wild, but little recruitment has been observed in the past 10 years. The reasons for the lack of recruitment are unclear. This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

      – Is an erect, perennial, herbaceous plant, forming large shrubs or small trees with few dichotomous branches 6—8 m tall. The sessile linear leaves are born in dense rosettes, followed by yellow flowers in terminal pendulous racemes and globose compressed 3-lobed berry. It is cultivated as a garden and indoor ornamental plant.

      – Flower: Showy yellowish-green or greenishyellow. Perianth tube 15—19 mm long subcylindrical constricted in the middle 5—7 mm in diameter. Perianth lobes 9—11 mm long. Filaments exerted, 10—11 mm long,, anthers 3.5- 4 long, pale-yellow. Ovary obovoidal green, stile 23 mm long thread-like, stigma truncate, minutely 3-lobed.

      KAUNA’OA / CUSCUTA SANDWIHIANAA

      – Cuscuta sandwichiana is a parasitic twining vine. The thin, leafless stems are yellow to yellow-orange. The 2,54 / 40,64 cm yellowish flowers grow in small clusters long the stems.

      – Cuscuta sandwichiana is an endemic plant. It grows in coastal areas with sandy soils at elevations ranging from sea level to 297,18 metres. It parasitizes a variety of other indigenous and endemic plants on all of the main Hawaiian islands except Kaua’i and Kaho’olawe.