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June 1 - 3 , 1978 - University of Hawaii at Manoa

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HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK CRATER DISTRICT<br />

RESOURCES BASIC INVENTORY:<br />

THE LICHEN FLORA<br />

C. W. Smith<br />

Department <strong>of</strong> Botany<br />

<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Hawaii</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>Manoa</strong><br />

Honolulu, <strong>Hawaii</strong> 96822<br />

INTRODUCTION<br />

The lichens <strong>of</strong> Haleakala have received scant <strong>at</strong>tention in<br />

the past. The only comprehensive collection prior to the<br />

Resources Basic Inventory was by Skottsberg during the <strong>Hawaii</strong>an<br />

Bog Survey in 1938. This collection was studied by A. H.<br />

Magnusson and forms a significant element <strong>of</strong> his C<strong>at</strong>alogue <strong>of</strong> the<br />

<strong>Hawaii</strong>an Lichens. A few other botanists have collected in the<br />

Cr<strong>at</strong>er including the Abbe Faurie, J. F. Rock, and 0. Degener.<br />

However, none <strong>of</strong> these collectors were specialists in lichens;<br />

their collections were incidental to their other interests,<br />

mostly flowering plants.<br />

This report is a preliminary investig<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> the lichens <strong>of</strong><br />

the Cr<strong>at</strong>er District <strong>of</strong> Haleakala N<strong>at</strong>ional Park with notes on the<br />

principal lichen associ<strong>at</strong>ions found in the area. Unfortun<strong>at</strong>ely,<br />

several groups are very inadequ<strong>at</strong>ely understood from a taxonomic<br />

point <strong>of</strong> view and the omission <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> them seriously limits<br />

the reliability <strong>of</strong> a few <strong>of</strong> the assessments. This reserv<strong>at</strong>ion is<br />

particularly true <strong>of</strong> the rock-inhabiting species <strong>at</strong> higher eleva-<br />

tions. A significant number <strong>of</strong> species, about 25%, still await<br />

determin<strong>at</strong>ion by specialists. In the majority <strong>of</strong> instances,<br />

their lack <strong>of</strong> response is the result <strong>of</strong> their own current uncer-<br />

tainty on these <strong>Hawaii</strong>an specimens. As further informa tion<br />

becomes available the list w i l l be upd<strong>at</strong>ed and the ecological<br />

assessments revised.<br />

WHAT ARE LICHENS?<br />

Lichens are an oblig<strong>at</strong>e symbiotic associ<strong>at</strong>ion between a<br />

fungus and an alga. The associ<strong>at</strong>ion produces a plant which is<br />

uniquely different from th<strong>at</strong> <strong>of</strong> either the fungus or alga growing<br />

alone. Perhaps the single most significant ecological fe<strong>at</strong>ure <strong>of</strong><br />

lichens is th<strong>at</strong> they must undergo periodic dessic<strong>at</strong>ion. If they<br />

are not allowed to dry out within a three or four day period they<br />

become moldy and die. Thus these plants are ideally suited to<br />

areas where w<strong>at</strong>er is not continuously available. One may think<br />

<strong>of</strong> deserts in this respect but many situ<strong>at</strong>ions in more equable

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