Botanical Inventory ofKalepolepo and Kulanihakoi, Maui

Forest Starr and Kim StarrUnited States Geological SurveyBiological Resources Division

Haleakala Field Station

November 2003

INTRODUCTION

This survey reports on the vegetation of Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi, Maui, Hawai'i.

Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi are located along the south shore of Maui, makai (seaward)

of S. Kihei Rd. The area can be broken into a few main parts: developed beach park,

whale sanctuary educational center, windswept sand dunes, and wetlands.

In the mid 1800s Kalepolepo was a thriving Hawaiian village. Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

and kou trees (Cordia subcordata) grew beside pools of clear water. On the shoreline

was Koieie fishpond. From the 1840s to 1860s a small whaling station was maintained at

Kalepolepo. In the early 1850s Captain John Joseph Halstead built a three story house /

store on the shoreline next to the fish pond, it was nicknamed the "koa house". With the

mullet-filled fishpond, the koa house became a popular retreat for Hawaiian royalty such

as Kamehameha III, IV, V, and Lunalilo.

This idyllic scene would not last forever. As the upland forests of Kula were destroyed,

clouds of dust began to fill the air instead of cooling winds. This dust would give the

area its name, "Kalepolepo" meaning "the dirt". Eventually, except for a handful of

fishing families, Kalepolepo became deserted. Today, Kalepolepo is again populated,

and has become an urbanized metropolis with only a very small amount of undeveloped

coastal area left. It is that remnant portion of coastal vegetation that is the focus of this

survey.

METHODOLOGY

We did walk-through surveys of Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi during the month of

November, 2001. Plants encountered were identified to species. Pictures were also taken

to visually document the current vegetative status and for use in a pictorial guide to the

common plants. Vegetation maps were drawn on USGS topographical maps.

RESULTS

This coastal stretch of Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi is a mix of developed and

undeveloped coastal sand dunes. The developed portion consists of a beach park, a whale

sanctuary educational center, and parking lots. The undeveloped area is predominantly

open low-lying windswept dune vegetation with scattered trees and a small wetland.

During the survey, we encountered a total of 102 species of plants. Of these, 33 were

native and 69 were non-native.

The vegetation at the developed beach park is mostly Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)

lawn under kiawe (Prosopis pallida) trees with a few coconuts. The landscaping around

the whale sanctuary educational center is predominantly native coastal species such as

naupaka (Scaevola sericea) surrounded by a Bermuda grass lawn. The undeveloped sand

dunes to the north are vegetated with mostly akiaki grass (Sporobolus virginicus),

pohuehue vines (Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis), and kiawe trees. Near the wet

spots pickleweed (Batis maritima) dominates along with mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)

and sourbush (Pluchea spp.). The far north part of the area consists of buffel grass

(Cenchrus ciliaris) under kiawe trees. A detailed species list, vegetation map, and

images of the more common species follows.

REFERENCES

Clark, J. R. K. 1980. The Beaches of Maui County. The University Press of Hawai'i,

Honolulu, HI.

Neal, M. C. 1965. In Gardens of Hawai'i. Bishop Museum Special Publication 40,

Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI.

Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants

of Hawai’i, 2 vols. University of Hawai’i Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu,

Hawai’i.

Plants observed at Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi, November 2001

Scientific name Common name Status Park Sanctuary Sand Dunes

Aloe barbadense Aloe Non-native -- X --Alternanthera pungens Khaki Non-native X X --Amaranthus viridus Slender amaranth Non-native X X --Artemisia australis Ahinahina Native -- X --Asystasia gangetica Chinese violet Non-native -- -- XAtriplex suberecta Saltbush Non-native -- -- XBatis maritima Pickleweed Non-native -- -- XBidens hillebrandiana Kookoolau Native -- X --Bidens mauiensis Kookoolau Native -- X --Bidens pilosa Spanish needles Non-native X -- --Boerhavia coccinea Boerhavia Non-native X X --Bougainvillea sp. Bougainvillea Non-native -- X --Caesalpinia pulcherrima Ohai alii Non-native -- X --Calophyllum inophyllum Kamani Polynesian X -- --Cenchrus ciliaris Buffel grass Non-native X X XChamaesyce hirta Hairy spurge Non-native X X --Chamaesyce hypericifolia Spurge Non-native -- X --Chamaesyce prostrata Prostrate spurge Non-native -- X --Chenopodium carinatum Chenopodium Non-native X X --Chenopodium murale Lamb's quarters Non-native -- X --Chenopodium oahuense Aweoweo Native -- X --Chloris virgata Feather fingergrass Non-native -- X --Chrysolidocarpus lutescens Areca palm Non-native X -- --Citharexylum spinosum Fiddlewood Non-native X X --

Citrus sp. Citrus Non-native -- X --Coccoloba uvifera Sea grape Non-native X -- --Cocos nucifera Coconut Polynesian X -- XCodiaeum variegatum Croton Non-native X -- --Conyza bonariensis Hairy horseweed Non-native X -- --Cordia subcordata Kou Polynesian -- X --Cordyline fruticosa Ti leaf Non-native -- X --Crassula sp. Air plant Non-native -- X --Crinum sp. Spider lily Non-native X -- --Cuscuta sandwichiana Kaunaoa Native -- X --Cynodon dactylon Bermuda grass Non-native X X XCyperus rotundus Nutsedge Non-native -- X --Digitaria ciliaris Henry's crabgrass Non-native X X --Dodonaea viscosa Aalii Native -- X --Eleusine indica Wire grass Non-native X X --Eragrostis tenella Lovegrass Non-native X X --Eryrthrina sandwicensis Wiliwili Native -- X --Ficus microcarpa Chinese banyan Non-native X -- --Gossypium tomentosum Mao Native X X --Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum Hinahina Native -- X --Heliotropium curassavicum Nena Native -- X --Heliotropium procumbens Heliotrope Non-native X -- --Heteropogon contortus Pili grass Native -- X --Hibiscus kokio Kokio Native -- X --Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Hibiscus Non-native X -- --Ipomoea batatas Sweet potato Non-native X -- --Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis Pohuehue Native X X --

Jacquemontia ovalifolia subsp. sandwicensis Pau o Hiiaka Native -- X --Kyllinga sp. Kyllinga Non-native X -- --Lepidium virginicum Lepidium Non-native X -- --Leucaena leucocephala Haole koa Non-native X X XMalva parviflora Cheese weed Non-native X -- --Malvastrum coromandelianum subsp. coromandelianum Malvastrum Non-native -- X --Myoporum sandwicense Naio Native -- X --Nephrolepis cordifolia Sword fern Non-native -- X --Nicotiana glauca Tree tobaco Non-native X X --Nototrichium sandwicense Kului Native -- X --Osteomeles anthyllidifolia Ulei Native -- X --Panicum maximum Guinea grass Non-native X -- XPennisetum clandestinum Kikuyu grass Non-native X -- --Phyla nodiflora Phyla Non-native X -- --Pluchea carolinensis Sourbush Non-native X -- --Pluchea indica Indian fleabane Non-native X -- XPlumeria rubra Plumeria Non-native -- X --Portulaca molokiniensis Ihi Native -- X --Portulaca pilosa Pigweed Non-native -- X --Portulaca sp. Portulaca Non-native X X --Pritchardia sp. Loulu Native -- X --Prosopis pallida Kiawe Non-native X X XPsydrax odorata Alahee Native -- X --Reynoldsia sandwicenis Ohe Native -- X --Rhizophora mangle Mangrove Non-native -- -- XRichardia sp. Hedyotis Non-native X X --Samanea saman Monkeypod Non-native X -- --

Scaevola coriacea Dwarf naupaka Native -- X --Scaevola sericea Naupaka Native X X --Schefflera actinophylla Octopus tree Non-native X -- --Schinus terebinthifolius Christmas berry Non-native -- -- XSenna gaudichaudii Kolomona Native -- X --Sesuvium portulacastrum Akulikuli Native -- X XSetaria verticillata Bristly foxtail Non-native -- X --Sida fallax Ilima Native -- X --Sida rhombifolia Cuba jute Non-native X X --Solanum americanum Popolo Non-native -- X --Sonchus oleraceus Sow thistle Non-native -- X --Sphagneticola trilobata Wedelia Non-native X -- --Sphenomeris chinensis Palaa fern Native -- X --Sporobolus virginicus Akiaki Native -- X XStenotaphrum secundatum St. Augustine grass Non-native X -- --Thespesia populnea Milo Polynesian X -- XTribulus terrestris Tribulus Non-native -- X --Unknown grass in drainage X -- --Verbesina encelioides Golden crown-beard Non-native X X --Vigna marina Beach pea Native -- X --Vitex rotundifolia Pohinahina Native -- X --Vitex trifolia Vitex Non-native -- -- XWaltheria indica Uhaloa Native X X --Wikstroemia uva-ursi Akia Native -- X --

(X) = Present(--) = Absent

Vegetation MapKalepolepo & Kulanihakoi

'Akiaki (Sporobolus) grassland / kiawe (Prosopis) forest

Bermuda grass (Cynodon) lawn

Buildings / parking lots

Calcareous beach sand

Wetland vegetation

Study area -- Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi

Common plants of Kalepolepo and Kulanihakoi:A Pictorial Guide

LIST OF SPECIES ILLUSTRATED

Pickleweed (Batis maritimis) *Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) *'Aweoweo (Chenopodium oahuense)Coconut (Cocos nucifera) *Kaunao'a (Cuscuta sandwicense)Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)*'Ena ena (Heliotropium currasavicum)Hinahina (Helitropium anomalum var. argenteum)Pohuehue (Ipomoea pes-caprae)Haole koa (Leucaena leucocephala) *Indian fleabane (Pluchea indica) *Sourbush (Pluchea carolinensis) *Kiawe (Prosopis pallida) *Naupaka (Scaevola sericea)'Akulikuli (Sesuvium portulacastrum)'Aki 'aki (Sporobolus virginicus)Milo (Thespesia populnea) *Golden crown beard (Verbesina encelioides)*Nanea, beach pea (Vigna marina)'Uhaloa (Waltheria indica)

(*) = Non-Native Species

Pickleweed(Batis maritimis) *

Buffel grass(Cenchrus ciliaris) *

'Aweoweo(Chenopodium oahuense)

Coconut(Cocos nucifera) *

Kaunao'a(Cuscuta sandwicense)

Bermuda grass(Cynodon dactylon) *

'Ena ena(Heliotropium currasavicum)

Hinahina(Helitropium anomalum var. argenteum)

Pohuehue(Ipomoea pes-caprae)

Pa'u o hi'iaka(Jacquemontia ovalifolia)

Haole koa(Leucaena leucocephala) *

Indian fleabane(Pluchea indica) *

Sourbush(Pluchea carolinensis) *

Kiawe(Prosopis pallida) *

Naupaka(Scaevola sericea)

'Akulikuli(Sesuvium portulacastrum)

'Aki 'aki(Sporobolus virginicus)

Milo(Thespesia populnea) *

Golden crown-beard(Verbesina encelioides) *

Nanea, beach pea(Vigna marina)

'Uhaloa(Waltheria indica)