This UH Mānoa web resource offers an in-depth exploration into the Hawaiian Silversword Alliance—a remarkable adaptive radiation of 30+ species including Argyroxiphium, Dubautia, and Wilkesia. It features detailed images, morphological and anatomical descriptions (e.g., leaf cross-sections, flowering structures), and explanations of adaptive traits across varied ecosystems—from alpine rosettes to moist forest shrubs.
Use images and anatomical diagrams to compare leaf structures of species like A. sandwicense and Dubautia menziesii, observing adaptations to drought and bog conditions.
Explore growth forms from monocarpic rosettes to shrubs and vines, and discuss how habitats shaped their evolution.
Research hybridization and evolution using Carr’s summaries of cytogenetics and interspecies crosses to illustrate speciation.
Map species distributions (e.g., Mauna Kea vs. Haleakalā silverswords), learning how different island environments affect trait variation.
Adaptive radiation and evolutionary biology in island ecosystems
Plant morphology and anatomy: leaf structure, rosettes, inflorescences
Monocarpic lifecycle strategies
Speciation mechanisms: hybridization, cytogenetics, chromosome evolution
Phylogenetics and genetic differentiation within Asteraceae
Habitat-based adaptation: arid alpine zones vs. mesic forests
