The occurrence of native species at a middle-elevation (265-290
m) site on the island of O'ahu is of interest because of the extremely disturbed
character of the vegetation and paucity of native forest species in the vicinity
and at these elevations generally. 'Ohi'a (Metrosideros polymorpha) and
native shrubs are understory elements in a plantation of Melaleuca quinquenervia
that was planted in the early 1930s. The relatively open character of the
stand (light levels underneath the canopy 20-50% of incident radiation) may
allow enough penetration of light to the subcanopy for native woody plants
while excluding more light-demanding alien taxa. The variety of Metrosideros
present is the smooth-leaved form (M polymorpha var. glaberrima) more prevalent
in the later stages of succession. The findings presented here may be an
example of a tree plantation acting to foster native species and promote forest
regeneration, a phenomenon that has been reported in degraded lands elsewhere
in the Tropics
