Research Guides: Botany: Hawaiʻi and Pacific Websites

Web Resources (with a Hawaiʻi and Pacific focus)

Canoe Plants of Ancient Hawaiʻi
This site contains descriptions, propagation methods, and information on traditional and medicinal uses of 24 plants introduced to Hawaiʻi by early Polynesian voyagers. Photographs and/or line drawings are included for most of the plants.
Ethnobotany Research and Applications
This is an electronic, peer-reviewed, open access journal published by the Botany Department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. It publishes on all aspects of ethnobotanical research.
Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database
This is one of several online databases from the Bishop Museum. It currently contains 145 records which can be accessed either by Hawaiian or botanical name.
Hawaiian kalo - An identification guide for taro in the Hawaiian Islands
"This key was created to help assist the general public, farmers, and horticulturalists alike to identify kalo (taro - Colocasia esculenta) horticultural varieties and other closely related species found in the Hawaiian Islands. As of February, 2006, the key assists in the identification of 97 horticultural varieties of taro."
Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and enviroment for nutrition and health
This book from the FAO presents 12 case studies illustrating the rich food resources and inherent strengths of traditional food systems as well as how people in these cultures think about and use these foods. Chapter 6 covers the traditional food system of Pohnpei
Native Plants Used as Medicine In Hawaiʻi
Full text of Beatrice Krauss' 1979 publication. The original line drawings have been replaced by photographs.
Plant Resources of Tropical Africa: Protabase
A core objective of PROTA is to improve access to interdisciplinary data on the 7,000 useful plants of Tropical Africa as a basis for sustainable ecosystem management and rural development. Protabase, the Information Base of PROTA, is searchable in both an English version and a French version. Search options include scientific name, vernacular name, and full-text search. Also includes browseable lists of uses and geographic distribution in Africa.
Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry
Farm and Forest Production and Marketing (FFPM) profiles for 32 crops detail essential information for crop development: horticulture and botany; the roles for each crop in mixed-species agroforestry; nutrition and food security; commercial products, product quality standards; location and size of markets; post-harvest processing; opportunities for local value-added processing; and the potential for genetic improvement.
Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry - Traditional Tree Initiative
From the book "Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands." Species profiles for a wide range of native and traditional trees grown in Pacific island gardens. Profiles are in pdf format and include information on botany, traditional uses, and cultivation.

Cook Islands Biodiversity
Web site provides searchable access to the Cook Islands Biodiversity Database. The database includes information on 4,200 native and introduced species. It includes terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species. Site also includes access to natural heritage articles, Maori dictionary, and a searchable journal article database. Hosted by the Bishop Museum.
Flora of the Hawaiian Islands
From the the Smithsonian Institution, this site provides searchable access to a checklist of Hawaiian vascular plants as well as a searchable image database. It also contains a pdf file of the supplement to the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaiʻi which details taxonomic changes since the publication of the Manual. There is also a link to the Flora of the Marquesas.
Flora of the Marquesas Islands
From the Smithsonian Institution, this site provides searchable access to a checklist of Marquesan vascular plants as well as a searchable image database. There is also a link to the Flora of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaiʻi Biological Survey - Botany Databases
This Bishop Museum site includes taxonomy and type specimen databases in botany covering native plants, algae and cultivated plants.
Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database
Searchable and browseable Web site for propagation information on over 70 endemic and indigenous plants.
Moorea Digital Flora Project
Site includes a photo gallery of common plants found on Moorea, including description information and ethnobotanical uses. Also checklists of ferns and fern allies and marine vascular plants and algae. Includes bibliography.
National Collection of Imperiled Plants
From the Center for Plant Conservation; browse a list or search the database for profiles of endangered plants; includes references.
Native Plant Network Propagation Protocol Database
The Native Plant Network is devoted to the sharing of information on how to propagate native plants of North America (Canada, Mexico, and US). It includes Hawaiʻi and other Pacific Islands.
Native Plants Hawaiʻi
The goal of Native Plants Hawaiʻi (NPH) is to create and establish a single, comprehensive and searchable online knowledgebase of endemic and indigenous plants of Hawaiʻi. NPH seeks to connect local nurseries to landscape architects and home growers to promote the purchase, use and understanding of local native plants.
Ngā Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants
This site provides access to information on plant taxa that occur in New Zealand. The site combines data from the New Zealand Plant Names Database and the Allan Herbarium Specimen database – providing access to information on the scientific and vernacular names, distribution and collection data, keys, descriptions and images. It currently includes the data for the seed plants, mosses, liverworts, lichens and freshwater algae.
Plant Discoveries - Sherwin Carlquist
Carlquist discusses his work and provides context for his research. He includes pdf files of many of his publications including some on his work on Hawaiian native plants.
Plants & Environments of the Marshall Islands
This Web site is based on the book Plants and Environments of the Marshall Islands by Dr. Mark Merlin (1994). Provides information based on vegetation zone and for specific plants by scientific and Marshallese names.
Plants of Papua New Guinea - PNGplants
Information for students, researchers, development workers, community leaders, government and non-government agencies and others working on plant identification, conservation and diversity of plants in Papua New Guinea; includes herbarium plant collection database, interactive identification guide to common trees of PNG, information about PNG plant collectors, names of vascular plants of PNG, and pdf files of Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New Guinea. This is a collaborative project between the Papua New Guinea National Herbarium (LAE) and the National Herbarium of New South Wales (NSW).

Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS) Online Database
The Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS) database is a free online bibliographic resource devoted to the literature about aquatic, wetland and invasive plants. The database includes annotated citations for more than 71,000 research articles, books and reports about plant ecology, physiology, utilization and control. It includes items in many languages dating back to the 18th century. APIRS is a project of the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida-IFAS.
Biocontrol of Forest Weeds
(D. Gardner, 1998) Reports on the biocontrol projects of Dr. Donald Gardner formerly in the UH Mānoa Botany Department; includes work on some of Hawaiʻi's most serious invasive plants such as Myrica faya and Miconia calvescens.
Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) Project
One of the most comprehensive information resources available about invasive species in Hawaiʻi. HEAR contains information on many invasive alien plants and animals, including detailed maps of known populations by island. Funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII).
Hawaii's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants
The introduction discusses what makes plant species invasive in Hawaiʻi and how these plants arrive; includes a link to a list of plants listed by botanical name. This Web site is from the Hawaiʻi State Alien Species Coordinator (Department of Land & Natural Resources [DLNR], Division of Forestry & Wildlife [DOFAW]).
HawaiiRREA's YouTube Channel
Videos on controlling miconia and other weeds of natural areas from Dr. James Leary, CTAHR
Impact of Alien Plants on Hawaii's Native Biota
(Clifford W. Smith; 1996) Full text of this paper in HTML format; includes discussions of problem alien plants in Hawaiʻi by island and by vegetation zone.
Invaders Database System: Noxious Weeds in the US and Canada
Searchable database of the noxious weed lists for all U.S. states and six southern provinces of Canada. Can be searched by plant name, state name, or by clicking on a map. Supported by the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Invasive Marine Algae of Hawaiʻi
Handbook of invasive red, green, and brown algae and seagrasses in Hawaiʻi. Maintained by the Department of Botany, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and supported by the Bishop Museum, National Marine Fisheries Service, Packard Foundation, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (See Guidebook of Introduced Marine Species of Hawaiʻi for companion Web site.)
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Reports on invasive plant species in American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, Samoa, and Tonga. Produced by the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, USDA.
Weed Control Methods Handbook
(Mandy Tu, Callie Hurd, & John M. Randall; 2001 Published by The Nature Conservancy's Wildland Invasive Species Program, the handbook covers both manual and chemical controls. Each chapter available separately as Word or pdf file many of which have been updated since the original publication; entire manual available in pdf and zip formats.
Weed Risk Assessments for Hawaii and Pacific Islands
Searchable database as well as lists by genus and species for risk assessments of about 200 introduced plants. Developed by Dr. Curt Daehler, Botany Department, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Weeds of Hawaiʻi’s Pastures and Natural Areas: An Identification and Management Guide
by P. Motooka, L. Castro, D. Nelson, G. Nagai, and L. Ching. ©2003, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This book includes a quick visual key to help quickly identify weedy trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and grasses found in Hawaiʻi. Individual fact sheets from the publication are available in pdf format at this URL.

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Hawaiian Medicinal Plants : Featured Video

Nani Mau Gardens pt. 1, Pahoa, Hawaiʻi.
Publication Date: 1978
Video of Moses Ahuna discussing various plants. Includes transcript. Also, see Part 2.

UH Mānoa Campus Landscape

UH Mānoa Campus Plants
Information about the collection of plants situated throughout the Mānoa campus.
Campus Inventory and Mapping Project
Information about the project to inventory all of the plants on campus.
UHM Plant Map
Online map augmented with information from the campus inventory.

The Art Building embraces our Exceptional Baobab (Adansonia digitata). From Campus Landscape page.

Botany: Hawaiʻi and Pacific Websites

Web Resources (with a Hawaiʻi and Pacific focus)

Need More Help?

Hawaiian Medicinal Plants : Featured Video

UH Mānoa Campus Landscape

Evaluating Web Sites