HAWAIIAN CONIFERS (MAK)

ISLAND: Ornamental conifers can be encountered on any island in Hawai‘i; only forest replantings might have more limited island distribution; for conifers, these are typically found at higher elevations. You should select the island you are on if encountering a possibly naturalized confier (not selecting an island will remove this "characteristic" from consideration in making a match). Distribution data are from Imada (2019) for naturalized species.

HABIT: By "habit" is meant the general form of the plant as expressed partly by the growth of the branches off the trunk. Conifer shrubs tend to be low-growing; if growth is mostly outward or horizontal, select creeping. Conifer trees have generally tall, vertical growth with branches arranged in whorls off a central trunk. If plant is tall (above 3 m) call it a tree, even if somewhat bushy or shrub-like. Cycads or sagos have a growth form that is palm-like (Cycadaceae) or, in our coonties (common name for Zamiaceae) the stem remains more or less underground.

BARK TYPE: Tree bark types are illustrated in a series of photographs at MAK Barks Illustrated, In the field, the type or form of the bark should be viewed on the lower part of the trunk and on the oldest specimen present. Younger trees may have more or less smooth or finely grooved bark that will mature over time into a more complex type.
flakey pine tree bark

Trunk of Jeffrey pine showing blocky bark type.

LEAF - TYPE: Leaf type describes the basic form of the leaf structure: either a needle, scale, or blade. A needle is a leaf much longer than wide, typified by a pine needle, but other confers (Cook-pine, junipers) have short, needle-like leaves. A scale, in the present context, is a small, triangular leaf; one that is appressed to the stem and overlaps with others to completely cover a branch. Elongated scales are clasping and with just the upper pointed tip free. Many junipers have scale-like leaves, but juvenile needles may be present at the branch tips. A blade is a normal leaf, although in conifers these tend to be stiff and with parallel veination and a short or no petiole. In coonties, the leaflets are stiff and blade-like. In cycads, the leaf is divided into narrow leaflets.

REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURE: The seed-containing structures of confers are typically cones. Most are woody, but some are leathery before maturity. Fleshy seed-bearing structures occur in the genus Juniperus. Small cones can have two (Calocedrus) scales and are oblong in shape, 6 to 8 scales and are generally globular in shape, or many scales and vary from globular to elongated globular (typical pine cone shape). Male cones are soft and vary in shape from small round structures at branch tips to multiple elongate cones in loose clusters or arranged on crowded spikes. Cycad seed-bearing structures are not cones, but flattended structures.



CPIE MultiAccess Key (MAK): Trees and shrubs of Hawai‘i – CONIFERS to MAK homepage. AECOS logos below on right and bottom will affect a return to AECOS website homepage.			Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) planted (naturalized?) on the Kuaokala Trail, Waianae mountain, O‘ahu.

Gymnosperms represent one of three major groupings of vascular plants, the other two being angiosperms or flowering plants and ferns and fern allies. Among the seed-bearing, woody, vascular plants, gymnosperms differ from angiosperms in a number of particulars, the main technical one being that gymnosperms lack flowers. Reproductive structures are grouped in cones and fertilization is carried out entirely by windbourn pollen. It is now generally recognized that gymnosprerms comprise four distinct taxonomic groups: Cycadopsida, Gingkopsida, Gnetopsida, and Pinopsida (including Taxaceae). The Cycadopsida (cycads) and Pinopsida (conifers) are well represented in Hawai‘i; the Ginkopsida and Gnetopsida occur here only as specimens in botanical or other gardens. This key covers both the Cycadopsidea (cycads) and Pinopsida {Class Pinophyta) or conifers, the latter being the only gymnosperms in the Hawaiian Islands with naturalized members. Still, a majority of the species in the DB are ornamentals, and some cultivars may be difficult to identify. In the field, most confers are going to be instantly recognizable by the scale- or needle-like leaf structures (families Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Taxodaceae). However, some members of the conifer group have bladed leaves (families Araucariaceae and Podocarpaceae). The cycads have compound leaves with leaflets. In either case, these structures are typically stiff, thick, and have parallel veination. Naturalized conifers in Hawai‘i are trees in the families Auraucariaceae (Cook pine), Cupressaceae (junipers), Pinaceae (pines), and Taxodaceae (sugi pine, redwood). All others will be encountered as landscape plants (ornamentals) and include both trees and shrubs.		DATABASE: MAK_7 TOTAL DB TAXA: 52 (52 LINES) LINES MATCHED: REJECTED:
		SELECTED CHARACTER MATCH GENERAL DESCRIPTION (based on selections): Match codes selected:
		Species - Common Name	Status Family		Reference List
	Select a best choice (or none) from each category: ISLAND Kaua'i O'ahu Moloka'i Maui Lana'i Hawai'i HABIT creeping shrub shrub, low-growing tree or tall shrub palm-like or trunk absent BARK TYPE smooth flaky or peeling finely (vertical) grooved horizontal patterning coarse in vertical ridges scales (short plates) blocks or plates soft, fibrous LEAF TYPE scale needle blade Select from only one group: SCALE DETAIL all short, triangular long with free triangular tips both short and long NEEDLE DETAIL all short, <1 in (not bundled) long, two per bundle long, 3 (4) per bundle long, 5 per bundle BLADE DETAIL ovate, short petiolate linear lanceolate triangular compound or dissected SEED CONE small, 2-4 scale cone small, 6-8 scale cone woody seed cone <1 in long woody seed cone 1-3 in long seed cone >3 in long fleshy seed 'cone' flattened; not a cone POLLEN CONE single at branch tips one or more long, hanging in crowded spikes under 0.5 in long along branch over 0.5 in long along branch	ISLAND: Ornamental conifers can be encountered on any island in Hawai‘i; only forest replantings might have more limited island distribution; for conifers, these are typically found at higher elevations. You should select the island you are on if encountering a possibly naturalized confier (not selecting an island will remove this "characteristic" from consideration in making a match). Distribution data are from Imada (2019) for naturalized species. HABIT: By "habit" is meant the general form of the plant as expressed partly by the growth of the branches off the trunk. Conifer shrubs tend to be low-growing; if growth is mostly outward or horizontal, select creeping. Conifer trees have generally tall, vertical growth with branches arranged in whorls off a central trunk. If plant is tall (above 3 m) call it a tree, even if somewhat bushy or shrub-like. Cycads or sagos have a growth form that is palm-like (Cycadaceae) or, in our coonties (common name for Zamiaceae) the stem remains more or less underground. BARK TYPE: Tree bark types are illustrated in a series of photographs at MAK Barks Illustrated, In the field, the type or form of the bark should be viewed on the lower part of the trunk and on the oldest specimen present. Younger trees may have more or less smooth or finely grooved bark that will mature over time into a more complex type. Trunk of Jeffrey pine showing blocky bark type. LEAF - TYPE: Leaf type describes the basic form of the leaf structure: either a needle, scale, or blade. A needle is a leaf much longer than wide, typified by a pine needle, but other confers (Cook-pine, junipers) have short, needle-like leaves. A scale, in the present context, is a small, triangular leaf; one that is appressed to the stem and overlaps with others to completely cover a branch. Elongated scales are clasping and with just the upper pointed tip free. Many junipers have scale-like leaves, but juvenile needles may be present at the branch tips. A blade is a normal leaf, although in conifers these tend to be stiff and with parallel veination and a short or no petiole. In coonties, the leaflets are stiff and blade-like. In cycads, the leaf is divided into narrow leaflets. REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURE: The seed-containing structures of confers are typically cones. Most are woody, but some are leathery before maturity. Fleshy seed-bearing structures occur in the genus Juniperus. Small cones can have two (Calocedrus) scales and are oblong in shape, 6 to 8 scales and are generally globular in shape, or many scales and vary from globular to elongated globular (typical pine cone shape). Male cones are soft and vary in shape from small round structures at branch tips to multiple elongate cones in loose clusters or arranged on crowded spikes. Cycad seed-bearing structures are not cones, but flattended structures.		Select conifer characteristics from far left column. == Results will appear here == NOTES: The TERMINOLOGY used in this key may not always match exactly that used by botanists, being adapted here to make this key more accessible to the casual user. Read the paragraphs presented on this page in column to left to find definitions for terms used here to describe coniferous trees and shrubs. Appearing under NOTES may be footnotes tied to some of the species that should be helpful in differentiating between the plants listed. CONFIRMING AN IDENTIFICATION will require careful consideration of the species description provided in the reference link or some other source (see References for other suggestions). "S&H" refers to A Tropical Garden Flora by Staples and Herbst. A number in brackets indicates that a photo or drawing is provided in the referenced source. These reference sources are known to provide a species description (and figure) on the page indicated. However, the casual user may find that a search of the internet for each of the taxa on the short list of possible identifications can provide a clinching photo or species decription, and is a logical next step whether one or several species are listed. STATUS CODES are limited in this group as there are no native or Polynesian introduced conifers in the Hawaiian Islands. Thus, only "Nat" (a naturalized species) or "Orn" (an ornamental species) are possible. Reforestation species are listed as naturalized, although some of these species may only be persisting and not spreading on their own.		Clear form to start of key

Trees and shrubs of Hawai‘i – CONIFERS