Medinilla cumingii

We found this large and colorful flower at a place that sells smoothie drinks to tourists. Our thanks to Selvin Chance for the identification to species. Selvin also mentions that "unfortunatey it's an obnoxious alien species. As one of the Melastomataceae family it has no control and spreads rapidly in our forests to the detriment of native species." Many of the plants and wildlife species we found on the Big Island are exotic introduced species.