Hawai'i 'Amakihi and 'Ākala originalOriginal 5. 5"x7. 25" illustration. There are two kala species in Hawaii, Rubus hawaiensis and R. macraei. Pricklesa typical trait in the genusare significantly reduced and sometimes absent in both species. This trend toward loss of defenses is common in Hawaiian flora. Both species produce edible fruit and look similar, and for some time they were believed to be closely related. DNA sequencing revealed that the two actually originate from separate