TRIP TO WAIKAMOI STREAM AREA, EAST MAUI


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From Pukalani Junction the route runs northward at about 500 m through pineapple fields, pastures and small farms, with *Eucalyptus, *Grevillea robusta (silk oak), *Persea americana (avocado), and other trees, to the village of Makawao, Here it turns right up the slopes of Haleakala through pastures with patches of planted *Eucalyptus, with some admixture of >`Acacia dealbata (black wattle) and with an undergrowth of guava brush. Parts of the road are lined with large *Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum). Beyond Olinda Prison Camp, at 1100 m, plants of *Ulex europaeus (gorse) may be seen. This is said to have been introduced by a homesick Scot and has since become a plague in many parts of Maui at middle altitudes.

The dirt road climbs between pastures and planted *Eucalyptus forest, to about 1300 m where it turns left and follows the contour at about this level, above the Kula Pipeline, which carries water from the wet north slopes of Haleakala around to the dry southwest slopes, where it is used domestically and to irrigate farms and water cattle. The road crosses a stretch of pasture with a few native plants, such as Sadleria cyatheoides (amaumau), in the small gulches. After about one km the forest of the north slope ­is entered. The margin is of planted *Cupressus, *Thuja, and *Eucalyptus, but this changes at once to a native montane rain forest of varying pro proportionsrtions of Metrosideros (lehua), Acacia koa (koa), and Cheirodendron trigynum (olapa). Most of this would be included in the Metrosideros forest ecosystem, but in many places at this altitude, koa is dominant.

The drive for about a mile and a half is through excellent wet forest of this type, largely dominated by koa. At the first stop, in the headwaters of Kailua Stream, this forest may be examined. In a small ravine just above the road is a small plant of a species of Cyanea, one of Hawaii's remarkable endemic lobelioid genera. A stroll along the road for 150 m or more gives a chance to see an average sample of the Maui version of koa forest, much wetter than that seen on Oahu. The main trees of the rather open canopy layer are Acacia koa, Metrosideros collina, and Cheirodendron trigynum. These are not high, as tropical trees go, but some of the koa are rather impressive. Two such are on either side of the road at the first sharp curve. Smaller trees and large shrubs are Myrsine cf. lessertiana, Gouldia hillebrandii, Coprosma stephanocarpa, Clermontia arborescens, Broussaisia arguta var. pellucida, and Cibotium chamissoi. Gouldia terminalis var. cordata is occasional, scrambling in the shrubs. This and G. hillebrandii normally form hybrid swarms where growing together, and probably hybrid individuals can be seen here, though var. cordata is not very common.

Two species of Cyrtandra, one with hairy cordate leaves, Vaccinium calycinum, and Sadleria souleytiana, a coarse fern close to Blechnum, make up much of the undergrowth along with Athyrlum cf. poiretianum and A. cf. sandwicense. Trichomanes davallioides is common in the moss on the ground. On the large koa tree below the road is a good collection of epiphytes. Elaphoglossum hirtum, Elaphoglossum sp., Polypodium thumbergianum' P. pellucidum, Sphenomeris chinensis, Peperomia sp., Cheirodendron seedlings, Broussaisia seedlings, and a curious climbing Schiedea were enumerated.

Besides minor roadside weeds, *Eupatorium adenophorum (Maui pamakani) is established here. The plant, introduced as an ornamental, became one of the principal plant pests of the islands. A gall wasp, introduced for the purpose, has now brought it rather well under control.

After a brief stop here, the drive continues, with the forest becoming more dominated by Metrosideros, to a small road which branches to the left. Here a longer stop is made, and the party may walk down the small road.

The small dense trees at the entrance to this road are Metrosideros collina (ohia lehua) of the dry­fruited Myrtaceae. As in other places, the lehua here exhibits a bewildering variation, in all probability the result of hybridlty. There are several small Cheirodendron (olapa) trees, of the Araliaceae, on the left, and small Cibotium chamissoi (tree ferns) beneath the trees on both sides. The shrub with very small stiff leaves, immediately to the right of the entrance is Styphelia tameimeiae (pukeawe), one of Hawaii's two representatives of the Epacridaceae. The shrub with large glossy finely serrate leaves is Broussaisia arguta var. pellucida (puahanui), of an endemic hydrangeoid genus, whose placentation has some interest in suggesting one mode of origin of exile placentation. Opposite this, on the left, is Coprosma ochracea. Twenty paces farther on, on the right, the tree with light bark is Acacia koa.

To the left of the road, the forest has been cleared along the pole line and pipeline right­of­way. A viciously prickly *Rubus with large white flowers, possibly *R. penetrans, has invaded the cleared area. This is only one of the innumerable species thoughtlessly introduced into Hawaii, which have made themselves more than at home. Introduced for its edible blackberries, without any regard for its prickles and propensity to spread, it is now a major pest, producing impenetrable tangles in the wet areas of the larger islands. R. hawaiiensis (akala) is a rather erect shrub to 2 m tall, with no prickles and with beautiful deep rose flowers. *R. roseefolia (thimbleberry) is less woody, much less prickly than *R. penetrans, and with white flowers and scarlet fruits.

In the cleared strip, Gleichenia linearis? and G. japonica may be compared, the latter having the pinnae bipinnate, the former one pinnate. Of the two other large ferns along the road the bipinnate one is Sadleria, the tripinnate one Cibotium. The Lycopodium common in the clearing is L.cernuum, a familiar pantropic species. A form of *Prunella vulgaris is conspicuous here along the road.

On mossy banks and tree bark along the road and in the forest as well, the creep creeping light green plant with vermlllion berries is Nertera granadensis, a plant with an enormous Andean and south Pacific distribution.

After the road crossed the pole line right­of­way, it descends into a low boggy forest of lehua, koa and olapa. Careful examination of the Cheirodendron (olapa) may show the curious, leafless loranthaceous parasite, Korthalsella complanata. The Gleichenia linearis here has some suggestion of red pubescence on the leaves, and approaches var. tomentosum (G. emarginata).

Just at the first sharp turn in the road, Clermontia arborescens may be seen straight ahead, the shrub with rather firm oblong leaves in the brush on the bank. The small shrub along the roadside here is Vaccinium calycinum. There are good examples of the tree fern, Cibotium glaucum, just beyond the turn. Myrsine sp. is a slender shrub a little farther along on the right. A number of the tree trunks and logs along the road in this area show some growth of epiphytes. Bryophytes are common and Astelia degeneri, a member of the lily family with silvery grass­like leaves forms conspicuous clumps. The calla lily *Zantedeschia aethiopica is naturalized along the road here. Its white spathes are conspicuous.

A good place to go off the road into the forest is to the left about 15 m before the first bridge, but any place will do where there are neither blackberries nor steep­sided ravines. The ground is wet and covered with deep muck or peat. Inside the forest, the ground is covered by a luxuriant growth of ferns, including several species of Thelypteris and Athyrlum, Sadleria souleytiana and Cibotium. A large Carex is found in wet places. Shrubs in the undergrowth include at least two species of Pelea, Myrsine, Coprosma, Broussaisia, Gouldia terminalis var. cordata, Rubus hawaiiensis, Cyrtandra cf. cordifolia, Clermontia arborescens, Cyanea sp. and the climbers Smilax sandwicensis, Alyxia olivaeformis, and Stenogyne sp. Epiphytes are abundant, including Peperomia sp., Nertera granadensis, Astelia degeneri, Hymenophyllum obtusum, H. recurvum, _ Elaphoglossum hirtum, Polypodium termariscinum, P. pellucidum, Triahomanes davallioides, and others.

Out on the road again, 10 m beyond the first bridge on the left, is Gouldia hillebrandii. At the first sharp turn, Freycinetia arborea is on a tree on the left, a woody vine with long linear grass­like leaves.

Here is open lehua forest with an understory of Cibotium and some Gleichenia. The abundance of young Cheirodendron is doubtless due to the opening of the road, letting in light. Clermontia is reasonably common here in the undergrowth. Pipturus is on the left at the first turn. Beyond the second turn, there is a large lehua tree over the road with an excellent display of Astelia on its trunk, as well as a number of ferns. The road goes on through this same type of forest but it would be best to turn back at this point.