"The manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i is the first complete compendium of the flowering plants of the Hawaiian Archipelago since Hillebrand's classic Flora of the Hawaiian Islands, published a century ago. The Hawaiian Archipelago, the most isolated major island group in the world, has long been known for the remarkable diversity of its ecological environments and for the high level of endemism in its fauna and flora. From approximately 280 successful flowering plant colonists, at least 956 species of flowering plants have evolved, about 89 percent of which are endemic. The Hawaiian flora is so distinctive that it is assigned to its own floristic region by most phytogeographers. Authors Wagner, Herbst, and Sohmer, and more than fifty collaborating specialists, provide keys to and descriptions of the 146 families, 649 genera, and 1,817 species of native and naturalized plants, arranged alphabetically within the dicots and monocots. Each species is provided with its accepted scientific name, Hawaiian and English common names, nomenclatural and taxonomic synonyms, chromosome numbers if available, and geographical and ecological ranges, as well as notes on taxonomic problems and citation of relevant literature. Ethnobotanical information is also given for many species. Two hundred forty full-page plates illustrate more than half of the species and nearly all genera. An index, literature cited section, and voucher information for the plants illustrated are included. The authors have also provided chapters on the project history and methods of preparation of the treatments and on the geology, climate, and vegetation of the Hawaiian Archipelago. They have evaluated available information concerning endangered native species and have compiled an accurate census of such plants. For many of the genera, the treatments presented here include changes and details usually given in revisions. The reevaluations have resulted in substantial changes in the taxonomy of many genera of Hawaiian plants. By taking this approach, the authors have provided the foundation and hypotheses for a new era in the systematic, evolutionary, and biogeographical study of this fascinating flora" -- Dust jacket.