Pahoehoe Lava
U.S. Geological Survey photo by J. Kauahikaua. (fair use policy)
Pahoehoe is fresh basaltic lava that comes out in a smooth-skinned, fluid-looking form. Smooth is a relative term—while this lava toe seen advancing over an ancient Hawaiian footpath is smooth by any definition, other forms of pahoehoe can have a surface as wrinkled as an elephant's trunk. The rough lava around it has its own name, like pahoehoe a Hawaiian word—aa lava.
In Iceland, this kind of lava is called helluhraun.
Below is a boulder of weathered pahoehoe lava from near Red Hill, in the very young Coso volcanics south of Owens Lake in the California desert. The black skin on parts of the boulder is desert varnish. The bright yellow at the bottom is a patch of lichen. Red lichen is also common here.
(c) 2002 Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com, Inc.
For photos of related rocks, see the extrusive volcanic rocks gallery.
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