Kaʻena or Kaena Point is the westernmost tip of the island of Oʻahu. In Hawaiian, kaʻena means "the heat". The area was named after a brother or cousin of Pele. The point is designated as a Natural Area Reserve.
Located about 2,300 miles (3,680 km) from the nearest continental shore, the Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated group of islands on the planet. The plant and animal life of the Hawaiian archipelago is the result of early, very infrequent colonizations of arriving species and the slow evolution of those species—in isolation from the rest of the world's flora and fauna—over a period of at least 5 million years. As a consequence, Hawai'i is home to a large number of endemic species. The radiation of species described by Charles Darwin in the Galapagos Islands which was critical to the formulation of his theory of evolution is far exceeded in the more isolated Hawaiian Islands.
Hibiscadelphus distans is an extremely rare species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaii. It is known as hau kuahiwi in Hawaiian, which means "upland Hibiscus tiliaceus." It is a bush or small tree with heart-shaped leaves and yellow flowers and grows at between 1,000 and 1,800 feet in the remnants of native dry forests. Despite its rarity, it is believed to be the only surviving species in the genus Hibiscadelphus which is only known from Hawaii, the other five species having recently become extinct in the wild, some being known from only a single plant.
Geniostoma cyrtandrae, the Koʻolau Range labordia, is a species of flowering plant in the Loganiaceae family. It is endemic to lowland tropical moist forests in Hawaiʻi, and is threatened by habitat loss. Like other labordias, this plant is known as Kamakahala.
Geniostoma kaalae, the Waianae Range labordia, is a species of flowering plant in the Loganiaceae family.
Melicope saint-johnii, the St. John's pelea or St. John's melicope, is a species of tree in the family Rutaceae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is present only on the island of Oahu. Like other Hawaiian Melicope, this species is known as alani. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Lipochaeta, common name nehe, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae that is endemic to Hawaii.
Melanthera, is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the tropical and subtropical Americas.
Cyanea grimesiana is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name splitleaf cyanea. It is native to Oahu and Molokai, where it is known from 12 occurrences. It is a federally listed endangered species. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.
Cyanea longiflora is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name ridge rollandia. It is endemic to Oahu where there are only three remaining occurrences in the northern Waianae Mountains for a total of under 300 individuals. It is a federally listed endangered species. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.
Cyanea pinnatifida is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name sharktail cyanea. It is endemic to Oahu, but it is now extinct in the wild and only exists in cultivation. Like other Cyanea it is known as haha in Hawaiian.
Gouania meyenii is a rare species of flowering plant known by the common name smoothfruit chewstick or Meyen's gouania. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from Oahu and Kauai. It is estimated that there are between 38 and 63 individuals of this species remaining in the wild. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Lipochaeta fauriei known by the common name Olokele Canyon nehe, is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family.
Lipochaeta kamolensis known by the common name Maui nehe, is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
Lipochaeta lobata is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name shrubland nehe. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it can be found in coastal dry shrublands and dry forests on Oʻahu, Maui, and Niʻihau.
Lipochaeta micrantha, known by the common name Kauai nehe, is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
Lipochaeta venosa is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name spreading nehe. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Hawaii. It is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.
Lipochaeta waimeaensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Waimea Canyon nehe. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Kauai. It is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.
Lobelia oahuensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the bellflower family known by the common name Oahu lobelia. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Oahu. There are about 100 individuals remaining in the Koʻolau Range, and only one known individual in the Waianae Range. It is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.
Silene perlmanii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name cliff-face catchfly. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the southern Waianae Mountains of Oahu. Today there are no plants left in the wild. The species is in cultivation at the National Tropical Botanical Garden. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
