Vascular plants of Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Hawai'i Island

Abstract

One hundred four vascular plant species were found within Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site in 1992-94. Seventy of these plants (67% of the total) were alien species (introduced since 1778). Fourteen plant species in the Park (13%) were originally Polynesian introductions, 13 (13%) were indigenous, and 7 (7%) were endemic. Sixty-eight plant species seen in the Park in 1992-94 were additions to the previous checklist of 1977. Twenty-two of the new Park records were found only in a lawn near the visitor center and 32 others were plantings in this area. Fourteen other plant species additions were seen primarily along trails and within a gulch. Sixteen plant species listed from Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site in 1977 (Macneil and Hemmes 1977) were not seen during the current survey; these were five native species of the scrub grassland and coastal communities and 11 alien species, including one shrub, one cultivated vine, and nine annual herbs.