The featured species for the week are “alien” (non-native to Hawai’i) species with unusual features. To me, the features are so unique they could cause as much amazement and second looks in their country of origin as they do here in Hawai’i!
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| African Land Snail / Aiea Heights yard / January 2016 |
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| African Land Snail, “on track” / Aiea Heights yard / January 2016 |
Before I moved back to Hawai’i this “lowly” amphibian always fascinated me and got my attention. The giant African Land Snail is so huge!
Over the years of living here, I have learned this “giant” has led to the reduction of the beautiful and varied native Hawaiian land snails .
Among other things, the giant African Land Snail competes for resources. Here is a scholarly article about Hawaiian land snails and the environmental pressures they are facing.
While on a run, just the other day, I spotted this unusual looking palm tree. This one was about six feet tall and must be found in nurseries as they are in neighborhood yards.
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| Unknown palm tree / Aiea Heights area / May 2016 |
I am particularly amazed at those growths on the side. I don’t think they are new, unfurled leaves as those usually arise from the top of the palm in the middle of the leaf crown.
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| Unknown palm tree / Aiea Heights area / May 2016 |
What are they? I will have to watch the “spikes” over time. Maybe they are fruit. After looking on-line for quite awhile, I think it is a Bottle Palm and those “bracts” will turn into fruit.
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| Sausage tree, green fruit / Ala Moana Beach Park / October 2015 |
A continual favorite of mine, found easily in Ala Moana Beach Park, is the Sausage Tree!
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| Sausage tree, flowers & fruit / Ala Moana Beach Park / October 2015 |
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| Sausage tree, flowers & fruit / Ala Moana Beach Park / October 2015 |
Seeing this tree with its flowers and its odd fruit brings up lots of questions. How did such a large fruit come into being? A larger fruit makes me think of how man intervenes to produce more fruit “for your money;” I doubt this occurred for this tree. How does the ornate multi-flower transition into the large fruit? Is the fruit edible?
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| Cannonball Tree with many fruit / University of Hawaii, Manoa / August 2015 |
I have seen this very strange tree before. It is a Cannonball Tree, but this time the very unique flower was also present so I took lots of photos.
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| Cannonball Tree / University of Hawaii, Manoa / August 2015 |
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| Cannonball Tree / University of Hawaii, Manoa / August 2015 |
I was amazed at the intricacy of the complex flower. What is the purpose of the convoluted shape?
At the University, the trees / plants have signs attached. The Cannonball Tree is originally from the Guianas of South America. I have also seen the tree at Foster Botanical Garden.
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| Cannonball Tree / University of Hawaii, Manoa / August 2015 |
This flower is another unique one! As I searched and searched for the identification of this flower I began to think the ethereal looking flower wasn’t real!
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| Baobab tree flower / Ala Moana Beach Park / June 2015 |
But I finally identified it with this great website. And it all made sense; it is from an unusual tree - the Baobab tree. I would have known if I had included the tree trunk in the photo. That is a lesson - take photos of flowers and the tree!
While you “watch out for nature,” see if you can spot any of these “alien aliens” or find your own and let me know about them.
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