Maui November 2012 Trip #2

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Part 1: Coastal Plants

Part 2: Haleakala Subalpine

Part 3: Drift Seeds

Part 4: Insects & Spiders

Part 2: Haleakala Subalpine Zone

© W.P. Armstrong 28 November 2012

View of cloud bank against the subalpine slopes of Haleakala. Sony HX9V & Nikon D-40x

Sophora chrysophylla: Native shrub related to our mescal bean (S. secundiflora) of the S.W. U.S. Sony T9.

Mescal Bean Of The Southwestern United States

Coprosma montana: A native subalpine shrub in the madder family (Rubiaceae), along with coffee and noni. Most species of Coprosma are native to New Zealand. Sony T9.

Metrosideros polymorpha: A native subalpine shrub on Haleakala related to the Nea Zealand Christmas tree (M. excelsa). Metrosideros forms extensive forests with an understory of ferns on the island of Hawaii. Sony T9.

Hawaiian Ferns Under Metrosideros On Island Of Hawaii

One of the most fascinating members of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) is the famous silver sword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum) that grows in the cinders of Haleakala Crater on the island of Maui. The rosettes of sword-shaped leaves are covered with silvery hairs that reflect light and heat and provide insulation against the intense solar radiation and extreme aridity of this 10,000 foot (3,000 m) volcanic mountain. In addition, the leaves contain air spaces filled with a gelatinous substance that absorbs and stores large quantities of water during the intervels between rains. This stored water is especially important when the plant blooms, because the fast-growing flower stalk requires a lot of moisture as it develops into a massive inflorescence. Another subspecies of silver sword (A. sandwicense ssp. sandwicense) grows on the upper slopes of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. Sony HX9V.

Silver sword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum): Images scanned from a 35mm color transparencies taken in the Haleakala Crater during summer of 2000. Nikon F-2.

Silver sword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. macrocephalum) in full bloom: Image scanned from a 35mm color transparency taken in the Haleakala Crater during summer of 2000. Nikon F-2.

The Silver Sword & Its Relatives On The Hawaiian Islands
Adaptive Radiation In The Hawaiian & Galapagos Archipelagos

Endemic Hawaiian Goose or Nene (Branta sandvicensis) on Haleakala. This very rare and endangered species is the official state bird of Hawaii and the rarest goose on earth. The Nene evolved from the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) which was probably blown off course and migrated to the Hawaiian Islands 500,000 years ago. Nikon D-40x.

The ubiquitous Canada Goose is common throughout the provinces of Canada. Nikon D-40x.

Chukar or Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar), a non-native bird on Haleakala. It was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands from Asia and eastern Europe in the 1920s. Nikon D-40x.