Category Archives: Botany

Hawaiian Botanical Gardens

    Hawaiian Botanical Gardens and Beach Cove * 27-717 Old Mamalahoa Highway * P.O. Box 80, Papaikou, HI 96781 * Phone: 808-964-5233 FAX: 808-964-1338 * http://htbg.com/ While travelling along the coast near Hilo with my friend Kawika, we dropped … Continue reading

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Akaka & Kahuna Falls

    Akaka Falls * Akaka Falls Rd * Off Hwy 19, Honomu, HI 96728 * (808) 974-6200 * (near Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii) * My first day on the Big Island, my friend Kawika took me to these amazing … Continue reading

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Cuphea hyssopifolia: Mexican Heather

Cuphea hyssopifoliaaka.: Cuphea, Mexican Heather, False Heather, Mexican false heather, false heather, Hawaiian heather, elfin herb Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Myrtales Family: Lythraceae Genus: Cuphea Species: C. hyssopifolia Regions: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras. Named after its resemblance to … Continue reading

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Prunus Africana: Red Stinkwood

Prunus Africana aka.: red stinkwood ( Eng. ); rooistinkhout (Afr.); Inyazangoma-elimnyama (Zulu); uMkakase (Xhosa); Pygeum, Iron Wood, (Red) Stinkwood, African Plum, African Prune, African Cherry, Bitter Almond. In other languages where it grows it is known as; in Amharic ‘tikur … Continue reading

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Begonia: Tiger Kitten

Begonia aka.: Tiger Kitten, Begonias, etc. Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Cucurbitales Family: Begoniaceae Genus species: Begonia sp. Regions: South America, Central America, Africa, Southern Asia. The “Tiger Kitten” folk name is in the family of Begoniaceae, and … Continue reading

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Red Ivy

Red Ivy Hemigraphis alternata Acanthus Family Genus: Acanthaceae Family: Acanthaceae Juss. Locale: India, Java, Malay Archipelago. Folk/Other names: cemetery plant, Hemigraphis, Red Ivy, Red Flame Ivy, Purple Waffle Plant. Many different species and cultivars of the Hemigraphis: cultivar “colorata” is … Continue reading

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Orchids

Orchids Orchis sp. Family: Orchidacea Orchids are the largest family of the flowering plants (Angiospermae). The number of orchid species equals about four times the number of mammal species, or more than twice the number of bird species. It also … Continue reading

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Rainforests: Astounding Adaptations

Astounding Adaptations “of the Rainforest” [display sign at National Arboretum] “Equatorial warmth and moisture allow life to flourish in the jungle like nowhere else. In this setting plants exhibit countless adaptations to the teeming, screaming, abundance of living things as … Continue reading

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Syngonium: “Regina Red”

“Regina Red” Arum Family Genus:Syngonium Family: Araceae Folk/Other names: “Regina Red” “Regina Red” is a member of the family Araceae, and the genus Syngonium that can be found in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. Belonging to … Continue reading

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Rattlesnake Plant

Rattlesnake Plant Colathea lancifolia Prayer-Plant Family Genus: Calathea Family: Marantaceae Folk/Other names: Calatheas, Prayer Plants, “Silver Plate” (a particular breed), etc. Recommended Temperature Zone: USDA: 11-12 Frost Tolerance: Keep above 60°F (15°C) Sun Exposure: Shade Watering Needs: Keep uniformly moist … Continue reading

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