A geological perspective on the history of the high islands of the Hawaiian archipelago is important for understanding the history of the diverse habitats occupied by different Hawaiian silversword alliance (HSA) lineages.  Detailed geological reconstructions of the islands (Price & Clague 2002) confirm phylogenetic estimates of lineage ages within the HSA (Baldwin & Sanderson 1998).  A more detailed geological focus on the history of Hawaiian island landscapes will be an important step for interpreting the ecological components of adaptive radiation in the HSA.

• Baldwin, B.G. and M.J. Sanderson. 1998. Age and rate of diversification of the Hawaiian silversword alliance (Compositae). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 95:9402-9406.
• Price, J.P. and D.A. Clague. 2002. How old is the Hawaiian biota? Geology and phylogeny suggest recent divergence. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 269:2435.