Cibotium  menziesii

Cibotium menziesii, also known as Hāpuʻu ʻiʻi or the Hawaiian tree fern, dominates Hawaii's rainforest understory. 

This endemic tree fern grows impressive, stout trunks, often reaching heights of 7 to 25 feet, and produces large, arching fronds. Its fronds display stiff, black hairs on their upper stalks, which distinguish it from other Hawaiian tree ferns.

The native Hawaiians historically harvested the starchy trunk pith for food and utilized its fibrous "pulu" for various purposes, including wound dressing and pillow stuffing. Today, it remains an iconic and essential component of Hawaii's native forests