BOT 105: Home

An introduction to resources for students in BOT 105 and HWST 211.

Web Resources

Includes more than 70,000 objects from throughout Hawai‘i and the Pacific. Photographs and detailed information available for more than 2,000 objects online.

Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database

A database of endemic Hawaiian and introduced plants and their uses. Includes info about mele, ʻōlelo noʻeau, and kino lau.

Native Plants Hawai'i

An online knowledgebase of endemic and indigenous plants of Hawaiʻi. Includes info about plant characteristics, pests and diseases, growth requirements, and uses.

Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database

Contains propagation info for more than 70 indigenous and endemic plants. Plants selected for inclusion have actual or potential value as landscape, lei, medicine, fiber, food, or wood products. Includes a description of the plant, habitat, and propagation techniques.

Plants of Hawaii

Images of 2,500 species from the personal collection of biologists Forest & Kim Starr. All images are free to use, with attribution.

Biodiversity Heritage Library

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is a consortium of natural history and botanical libraries that cooperate to digitize the legacy literature of biodiversity held in their collections. Includes millions of pages of taxonomic literature.

Videos

These are ethnobotany-related videos available in the library or online. Search for more videos in Primo Search.

Ka Hana Kapa
Call Number: DVD 2868
Documents the history of kapa in Hawaii and follows the complex process of Hawaiian kapa making from start to finish.
Focus on Agriculture
Different techniques and materials for making flower leis are presented. Includes a live viewer call-in segment. [Streaming Online]
Make lei
Call Number: DVD 2942
Learn the art of Hawaiian fresh lei making, including the gathering protocols and facts about lei giving.
Legacy of excellence
Local master craftspeople share their talents and motivations in replicating the ancient arts. [Streaming Online]

Find Streaming Videos

I recommend starting with the following databases:

Ethnographic Videos: Indigenous Voices This link opens in a new window
Contains over 1,300 hours of streaming video, including ethnographic films, documentaries, select feature films, and previously unpublished fieldwork. From Alexander Street Press.
ʻUluʻulu Moving Image Archive This link opens in a new window
Hawaiʻi's official state archive for films and videos filmed in or about Hawaiʻi, from the 1920s - 2000s. Focus is on primary source material not widely available or commercially distributed. Email/call the archive to request access to the full-length videos.

Find Books

Search for books, DVDs, and other resources available through the UHMC Library.

IMPORTANT: If you find a book that's available at another UH library, you may request that the book be mailed to our Library for you (allow 5-7 business days) - click "Get It" in the item record, log in with your UH username and password, then select "Maui CC" as your pick-up location. You will receive an email notification when items are ready to be picked up.