Front view illustration of a Koa tree, endemic to the Hawaiian islands. There are actually two species of koa native to Hawaii. The large forest koa is well known around the world for the beautiful hard wood. Koa's smaller cousin, koai?a, that once grew in the lowlands of most of the main Hawaiian Islands, has an even harder wood that is much prized for its gnarled grain
Pickleweed is an invasive or introduced plant in Hawaii. It has succulent, brilliant green leaves and is common in salt marshes and tidal shorelines. It grows slowly in soils with high salt concentrations and areas with seawater overwash where it suffers little competition from other plants. The species manages salts by sequestering them in cell vacuoles and eventually shedding the leaves
Front view illustration of an Aweoweo, endemic to the Hawaiian islands. Native water and land birds (e.g., Nihoa finch), and seabirds use Aweoweo for food, nesting material or nesting sites. Early Hawaiians used the wood to form shark hooks (makau mano) fitted with bone points. Aweoweo leaves and shoots were wrapped in ti leaves, cooked and eaten in times of food scarcity by early Hawaiians
Front view of a Wiliwili tree, endemic to the Hawaiian islands. It is typically found in dry forests on leeward island slopes up to an elevation of 600 m
Illustration of white ash (Fraxinus Americana)
Front view illustration of a Christmas Berry. An introduced, invasive shrub or small tree
A stylized red hibiscus flower with an orange style protruding from the center of the flower. The hibiscus is the state flower of Hawaii
Illustration of Intsia bijuga (Ifilele), a tree used traditionally in Samoa to carve 'Ava bowls. The tree is endangered in many places in Southeast Asia due to extensive logging, and is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN
Front view illustration of a West Indian Lantana. It is a weed of cultivated land, fence lines, pastures, rangelands, and waste places. It thrives in dry and wet regions and often grows in valleys, mountain slopes, and coastal areas. It is somewhat shade-tolerant and, therefore, can become the dominant understory in open forests or in tropical tree crops. In pastures it forms dense thickets which shade out and encroach upon desirable pasture plants. With time it can form pure stands over large areas, the
Known as Koa haole (foreign koa) in Hawaii, or leucaena, is abundant as a weed in dry lowlands of Hawaii, often forming dense thickets in lowlands and lower mountain slopes of 2500 ft (762 m) altitude
Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) is the most common shrub in the areas behind the ocean dunes and protected from salt spray. It is an evergreen whose berries are eaten by tree swallows and myrtle warblers, and that provides cover for small rodents and rabbits
Front view illustration of American Water Lotus flower (Nelumbo lutea)
Side-view illustration of American Water Lotus flower (Nelumbo lutea)
Illustration of American Water Lotus seed pod (Nelumbo lutea)
Front view illustration of a Freycinet Sandalwood, endemic to the Hawaiian islands. It is found in the mesic to dry forests of O'ahu. The fragrant wood of this shrub or small tree has history as a significant trade commodity through the mid 19th century. Ancient Hawaiians also used the wood, bark and leaves
Front illustration of a Dwarf Naupaka, endemic to the Hawaiian islands. Dwarf naupaka formerly grew in coastal sites, primarily on consolidated sand dunes, on all of the main islands and was probably never very common. Today, it is endangered
Illustration of Spathodea campanulata (African Tulip), a common invasive species in many tropical areas, including Samoa and Fiji