|
Back to main map
Malesia is the vast floral region extending from Southeast Asia to northern Australia. It includes the countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and countless islands from Sumatra to New Guinea.
The rainforests here are far older than those of South America. The diversity of species is even greater because the natural ocean barrier isolates each island ecosystem in the region.
Early European explorers were drawn to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, in search of cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and gingers. The Malesia region has many species of carnivorous pitcher plants and is home to the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, over four feet in diameter.
In spite of the area’s botanic wealth, its ongoing exploitation by logging and mining interests has been relentless. Conservation efforts have not been a priority in developing countries.
Many of the plants in this garden have been collected from the wild, from areas that may have since been deforested.
Ka Māla O Na Haumāna
The Student Garden.
Ka Māla o na Haumāna is a place where children who participate in school field trips to Waimea Valley learn how to grow and mālama plants that provide food. Students who visit the garden get to plant seeds and learn about what plants need to survive. Currently the garden is full of tomatoes, mint, basil, sage, eggplant, peppers, rosemary, cholesterol plant, and parsley.
|
.jpg)