Scientific Names - 2 Flashcards
Mango
HN: Manako
SN: Magnifera Indica
FN: Anacardiaceae
DISC:
Tall tree up to 70ft.
All parts of tree contains alkaloid resin similar to poison ivy.
Leaves - Thick and Narrow, arranged alternately on stem, smell like turpentine when crushed.
Inflorescence - Large Panicles. Perfect or different sexes on same or different trees. Pinkish-White, or Yellow.
Fruit - is a Drupe, round or pointed-ovoid
USES:
Food - Used to make Jams, Jellies, and Pies.
Medicine - boiled leaves to treat diabetes, blood pressure, and gout.
Psilotum
HN: Moa
SN: Psilotum Nudum
FN: Malvaceae
DISC:
Slender, erect, shrubby, or tuffed perennial.
Stems - green and function as leaves.
Leaf - tiny, pointed, scalelike “leaves”.
Fruit - Sporangia; three-lobed or chambered cases filled with spores.
USES:
Medicinal - Brewed for tea, Cathardic properties. Spores used as Talcum Powder to Prevent Chafing.
Paper Mulberry
HN: Wauke
SN: Broussonetia Papyrifera
FN: Moraceae
DISC:
Small tree or Shrub growing up to 50ft tall.
Leaf - Cordate, sometimes one- or two-lobed with margine finely serrated. Rough on upper surface, wooley on lower surface.
Flower - Dioaceous; male and female born on separate plants. Females form round head, fuzzy with long stigma and hairy bracts.
Fruit - Round, about 1in in diameter, orange in color.
USES:
Tapa - Softest, finest, most durable bark cloth for dress, bed sheets, and ceremonies.
Cordage - Inner bark twisted and used to make rope.
Medicine - Slimy sap used as mild laxative. Additional ingrediant in some compound remedies.
Indian Mulberry
HN: Noni
SN: Morinda Citrifolia
FN: Rubiaceae
DISC:
Small evergreen tree or shrub, no more than 20ft tall.
Leaf - Large, shiny, and ovate. Deeply netted veination.
Flower - Infloresence form in globose head, clustered, tubular, and white flowers.
Fruit - Form pale-yellow fruit before last flowers bloom at apex of floral cluster. Appear warty, ripe fruit is whitish-yellow, unpleasant tasting, and offensive smelling.
USES:
Food - Hawaiians only ate it during times of famine.
Medicine - Pounded and brewed as a tonic or to treat tuberculosis.
Drink - As a chaser for `Awa to counter unpleasant effects.
Insecticide - Juice applied to hair to prevent head lice.
Olona
HW: Olona
SN: Touchardia Latifolia
FN: Uticaceae
DISC:
Small shrub, Native to Hawaii, about 4-8ft high.
Leaf - Large Ovate leaves. Prominent Netted-Veination. Veins are reddish brown in color on underside of leaf.
Flowers: Cluster of flowers followed by fruit. (resembles mamaki)
USES:
Cordage - Primarily as cordage for fishnets, base for feather cloaks, base for feather helmets, and repairing cracks in gourds.
Pandanus
HN: Hala / Lau Hala
SN: Pandanus Odoratissimus
FN: Pandanaceae
DISC:
Heavy crown of leaves, 20+ft high.
Roots - Areial Roots
Leaf - Long and narrow. Arranged Spirally at end of branches. Sharply pointed Apex. Margins and underside of midrib have a row of sharp, forward-pointing spines.
Flower - Dioaceous, male and female born of different trees. Male Inflorescense, bear spikes of staminate clusters, protected by large pale-yellow bracts. Female Inflorescense, bear compact, globular clusters.
Fruit - “sorosis” or “collective fruit” because consisting of a collection of fruitlets. Outter portion consists of hard woody husk. Flesh is very fragrant.
USES:
Plaited - to make mats, canoe sails, baskets, pillows, sandals, and kites.
Thatching - dried and dethorned to thatch rooves and sides of homes.
Aphrodesiac - Male flowers used as a love charm or to brew love potions from pollen.
Other - Paint brushes, and eaten during times of famine.
Papaya
HN: Mikana
SN: Carica Papaya
FN: Caricaceae
DISC:
Either low or tall trees, up to 25ft high.
Leaf - Clustered at top of trunk, on hollowed stems. Smooth and broad leaves, and contain milky juice called papain.
Flower - Creamy-white, fruit bearing flowers, and very fragrant.
Fruit - Usually formed from pollinated female flowers. Globose to ovoid. Green when immature, yellow when ripe. Pulp is sweet and juicy.
USES:
Food - Male flowers are edible. Fruit is a favorite for breakfast, and also used to make beverages, and Jams.
Medicinal - Hawaiians used milky sap for cuts and wounds.
Pineapple
HN: Hala-Kahiki
SN: Ananas Comosus
FN: Bromeliaceae
DISC:
Short stemmed, and completely covered by overlaping leaves.
Leaf - Long and stiff, upper surface convex and lower surface concave. Underside covered in waxy absorbing hairs. Varieties vary in Spininess.
Flower - Compact Inflorescense, flowers born in tight “heads” with ovaries fused. One row of flowers open and close each day , beginning at base, and progressing to apex until all flowers blossom.
Fruit - Sorosis or “Collective Fruitlets”. Flesh is sweet, juicy and has a sweet aroma. Whole fruit enclosed in shell.
USES:
Food - Hawaiian’s used to eat as a feast food.
Lei’s - Hawaiians used to string the segments of skin on leis for fregrance.
Medicinal - Purifies Blood, Bromelain promotes faster healing, Keratolytic, Proteolytic Enzyme, etc.
Sweet Potato
HN: `Uala
SN: Ipomoea Batatas
FN: Convlualaceae
DISC:
Most varieties are vines and growing close to ground.
Leaf - from cordate to more or less deeply 5-lobed. Sometimes a deep Purple hue.
Flower - Pinkish-lavender in color, with corolla spreading out widely above.
Roots - Enlarged to form large tubers.
USES:
Food - Tubers baked in Imu for Carbohydrate substance. Sometimes used to make Sweet Potato Poi.
Drink - Fermented to make beer.
Medicinal - To induce vomiting, Asthma Cure, Laxative, to dislodge Phlegm.
Sugar Cane
HN: Ko
SN: Saccharum Officinarum
FN: Poaceae
DISC:
Stem / Stalk - Straight, unbranched, with distinct short internodes and prominent nodes. Epidermis fibrous and full of sugar juice when mature.
Leaf - Upper in cluster at top of stalk. Lower stalk die. Linear, with prominent midrib, rigid on underside, grooved on upperside. Parallel Veination, sooth, except for saw-toothed edged.
Flower - Bisexual or Perfect. Blooms in Nov and Dec. Inflorescense like a tassel; feathery. Rosey-Lavender colored.
USES:
Food - Juice was a condiment. chewed to strengthen teeth and gums, toasted and fed to nursing babies, sweetening agent in deserts.
Medicinal - used in herb formulas to cover unpalatableness.
Taro
HN: Kalo
SN: Colocasia Esculentum
FN: Araceae
Ti
HN: Ki
SN: Taetsia Fruticosa
FN: Asparagaceae
Edible Yam
HN: Uhi
SN: Discorea Alata
FN: Discoreaceae
