F.L. Stevens (1925. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. Bull. No. 19) published the
first comprehensive list of fungi in Hawaii, recognizing 7 species of
endemic rusts and 10 species probably indigenous. Stevens considered
this small number of rusts particularly noteworthy in comparison with
the rust floras of other areas with which he was familiar. He ascribed
the scarcity to the geographic isolation of the Hawaiian Islands from
significant land masses. Currently, of the more than 74 rusts in Hawa
ii, 22 are considered native, of which 13 are endemic and 9 indigenous
. The rust flora, like other groups of native organisms of Hawaii, pro
vides interesting examples of biological colonization and adaptation t
o remote insular environments.