Re: Obscure Astelias
>Jason -
>
>Many thanks for fascinating info. What's more, it seems (as Margaret
>and Moira suggest) that you may have found the ideal astelia for me
>here in endlessly raining West Cumbria! Viz, A. waialealae:
>>
>>Genuine Polynesian language: Hawaiian. Waialealae
>>(sp?) is the name of the wettest spot on Earth, a
>>5000-foot mountain on Kauai, whence surely this
>>Astelia species must hail.
>
I did some checking in my copy of "Manual of the Flowering Plants of
Hawaii". They list A. argyrocoma, A. menziesiana and A. waialealeae. A.
menziesiana is found on all of the major islands except Niihau and
Kahoolawe. It is found growing epiphytically in wet areas of native
forest. While A. waialealeae is found only in the Alakai swamp and summit
of Mt. Waialeale.
I remember seeing a lot of meziesiana in the Volcano/Olaa forest on
the big island and perhaps some more in the Kauman/Saddle Road area. Where
are you living, I may be able to collect seeds of at least this species
and send them out (provided not regulated by USDA or you local Agricultural
agency....)
>If it wants rain, o boy, can I give it rain... (Problem is, can I ever
>find anyone to give or sell *me* seed?!)
>
>BTW, anyone know what the minimum temperature is likely to be 5000ft
>up a mountain on an Hawaiian island?! *Semi*-serious query, at least,
>in case anyone actually does know...
Living here on another Hawaiian Mountain @ 4000 feet in elevation and it
gets down to the 35F in cold periods, we even get frost. I would hazard
that Mt. Waialeale would be similar to Mt. Ka'ala on Oahu (again about 4000
feet) and it would get to the point that there would be frost. Somewhere I
have a yearly temperature record for the summit. I will go check....
>
>Cheers -
>Tim
>>
>
>
>Tim Longville
Mach T. Fukada
AKA member 07778
fukada@aloha.net
MACh Tech,
Macintosh Computer and Agriculture/Aquaculture Consulting
Visit our friends at the Honolulu Aquarium Society
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/2948/HASF.html
