Specimen Collection | Living Collections

Specimens
Hawaiian Algal Database - underway with a 3-year project to characterize the red algal biodiversity of the Hawaiian Islands (Co-P.I. Gernot Presting, Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii). We are using a combination of DNA sequencing (3 regions) and morphological / anatomical investigations to assess collections from our own interisland field surveys, Bishop Museum, and expeditionary collections from our collaborators (the Census of Marine Life CReefs team, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory deep water surveys, and the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Division).

Bryophytes

Lichens

Ferns and Lycophytes
There are more than 220 recognized native and naturalized Hawaiin fern and fern ally taxa. Approximately 74% of the fern species are endemic, and 26 % are indigenous (Palmer, 2003).

Angiosperms

Living Collections
The University of Hawai'i has several living plant collections that are inventoried and maintained for educational purposes. These collections are used primarily for supplying living specimens for teaching undergraduate courses.

UH Manoa Campus Gardens
The University of Hawai'i at Manoa is home to more than 560 kinds of trees and plants. They intrigue campus visitors and provide students and professors with a living botanical laboratory. Follow the route from Bachman Hall to the East-West Center to view some of the beautiful campus flora. Please allow about 1­2 hours to complete the UH Manoa campus tour.

A new digital fieldguide is being prepared to provide a virtual tour of the some of the most interesting species is being developed. Common names, family names, scientific names, campus locations, and notes of interests are provided for each species.

Krauss Hall Courtyard Water Garden

East-West Center Japanese Garden

Sherman Laboratory Courtyard Garden

Hale Halawai Native Hawaiian Garden

Ka Papa Lo'i o Kanewai Cultural Garden

St. John Laboratory Courtyard Garden
Established in 1971 by Doug Friend the St. John Courtyard living collection serves as teaching resource to support the Botany Department's Undergraduate (BOT101, BOT105) and graduate program. More than 60 families and 100 species are present.

Harold L. Lyon Arborteum
The Lyon Arboretum is the only University botanical garden located in a tropical rainforest in the United States. It is also the only easily accessible tropical rainforest on the island of O'ahu. It currently consists of almost 200 acres at the top of the Manoa watershed with a set of small cottages and greenhouses used for research and community education about plants and the natural environments of Hawai'i. As a branch of the University of Hawai'i, it serves as a center for educational activities on plants, arts, culture, geography, and a range of other sciences. Currently, scholars from Anthropology, Biology, Botany, Culinary Arts, Engineering, Geography, Hawaiian Studies, Horticulture, and Zoology use the Arboretum in parts of their research or teaching.

Kapi'olani Community College Cactus Garden

UH Hilo Cycad & Palm Garden