Issue 34: Hawane

Ku mai no, he pali.

There it stands, a cliff.

Said in admiration of a handsome person who, like a cliff, attracts attention.

Organism of the Week! Pritchardia glabrata/martii/hillebrandii, Hawane or Loulu
I am actually surprised that this plant is native.  These plants are so similar to each other and each species inhabits different islands.  This frondy plant is used as a decorative plant these

days.  Glabrata is endemic to Maui and is currently classified as endangered.  Hillebrandii is native to Moloka`i and grows to about 20 ft tall - this species is silvery under the leaves with shorter flower stalks.  It can grows from 25 to 60 ft tall with a fan-like leaf or frond.  The species is very similar looking to the other species in the family and is difficult to distinguish from them.  It produced fruits that early Hawaiians would collect and eat - the inside of the fruit was apparently similar to a coconut and could be eaten like one. 
As you can see, the plants look very similar to many of the decorative palms we have around many buildings here in Honolulu.  The genus of pritchardia all happens to be native to tropical Pacific islands, many of which are endemic to Hawaii and are protected.  Each island has at least one species with distinctive characteristics (distinctive to someone else's eye at least).  This species decreased in the wild like many other native species when Hawaii became heavily developed.  The lack of an appropriate habitat was a significant factor in the decrease loulu.

By Sabrina Robello

Sourced:  Here

Community Events!
Pidgin: The Voice of Hawai`i with Filmmaker Marlene Booth - June 6, Manoa Campus, Krauss 12
This film is a documentary that discusses pidgin as a source of identity for locals, the history of it, etc.  This event is free and seems pretty worthwhile for those in the area.
Frances Haar and the Dances of Hawaii - Manoa campus, Hamilton library Room A 153
Haar will be speaking and invites the public to celebrate the completion of a project that documents dance performances in Hawaii for more than 25 years. 

Issue 33: `Akaha

Huli ke alo I luna, helu I ka `a`aho.

Lying face up and counting the rafters.

Lazy.

Organism of the Week! Asplenium nidus, `Akaha

This is also known as the bird's nest fern and grows to a height and size of four feet or larger.  With is shiny leaves, this plant can be used as a landscaping plant.  It grows best in shaded areas and without a lot of sun.  This fern can grow not just on the ground but it the crook of tree branches. 
The leaves of the plant look somewhat like banana tree leaves and are smooth, somewhat leathery and have a brownish rib running along the middle of the leaf.  Ancient Hawaiians didn't actually have a lot of uses for this plant though.  The midrib was primarily used for decorative purposes such as the weaving of lau hala mats.  The leaves of this plant was also used as part of the ceremony of making a canoe - the leaves would be spread across the log of the tree that was to be hollowed out to make a canoe. 
There wasn't much other use for the plant aside from that.  Presently, the plant is much used in landscaping because of its aesthetically pleasing looks. 

By Sabrina Robello

Sourced: Here and here.

Community Events!
Conservation Connections Talk Story - May 29, 5:30-7pm, Capital One 360 Café
Guest speaker Kim Welch will be speaking at this event, from the Oahu Natural Resources Program.  Stop by, check it out, enjoy!

Issue 32: `Ope`ape`a

 Hupo-e-nui.

Extremely Stupid.


Organism of the Week! Lasiurus cinereus semotus, `Ope`ape`a

This week is about the Hawaiian Hoary bat!  Otherwise known as `Ope`ape`a!  This bat is the only land mammal that is endemic to these islands, but I have no idea how it could have gotten here!  It's called "hoary" in reference to its fur.  The fur is brown and grey, tinged with white in such a way that makes it look frosty.  As with most bats, the female is larger than the male.  The average bat weighs very little - less than half a pound.  The females can have a wingspan as much as 13.5" which isn't too much.  Such tiny things!  This little bat can eat its own weight in insects each night.  I guess it takes a lot of energy to flap around at night.
This bat was listed as an endangered species in 1970 when the loss of forested areas destroyed the bat's habitat.  Look at that cute bat.  How could we take its home?  Well we did, but on the bright side, this bat's prognosis is good!  The population is increasing, although it's still endangered.  But things are looking up for the `Ope`ape`a!
In other news, this will be the first of several posts that have been written well before publishing.  This is because I finally have time to write ahead AND I will be pretty busy for the next few weeks so I figured I'd take care of this early.  So!  If some community events are slightly inaccurate or not as full as you think it ought to be, please do comment and add community events!

By Sabrina Robello

Sourced: Mostly here. 

Community Events!
Honolulu Museum of Arts - All week long! 
There are so many activities going on all summer!  I finally have time to notice it!  There are art films available, tours of the museum, so on and so forth - take advantage of the summer and the excellent programming available at the museum!

Issue 31: Kamani

Ka la I ka mauliola.

The sun is the source of life.

Mauli ola is the god of health.

Organism of the Week! Calophyllum inophyllum, Kamani

The kamani was probably brought to Hawaii in seed form by the ancient settlers.  The plant is known as a laurel tree to other people and grows best along sandy shores and lowland forests.  In Hawaii it was cultivated in villages near houses.  This tree can grow up to 60 feet in height and provides a picturesque, spreading foliage with grey bark.  The tree was a hardwood and could be used to carve out canoes, or in building of homes, containers or calabash bowls.  Kamani wood also did not have an unpleasant odor or flavor so was ideal for holding food. 
As pictured at the right, the leaves are thick, waxy looking and grow to be 3-8 inches long.  The plant sprouts fragrant flowers that are small and eventually bear fruit that start out pinkish green and eventually become a bright green.  These fruits could be used similarly to kukui nuts and the kernel in the kamani fruit could be used as lamp oil.    This oil could also be used for lomi lomi massage and may have been used to waterproof kappa cloth. 
The plant also has other medicinal properties and an extract from the fruit was used to make a dye to color kapa.  These days, Kamani is planted as an ornamental plant and for the fragrant flowers while  our demand for Kamani oil is satisfied via imports from other Polynesian islands.

By Sabrina Robello

Sourced:  Mostly here, with miscellaneous.

Community Events!
Community Forum about Thomas Square - May 13, 5:30-7pm, Doris Duke Theater
This will be a community discussion about plans for the local park.  It is somewhat less maintained than other public parks and is perpetually occupied by "Occupy Honolulu" or local hobos.  It's difficult to tell which is which.

Issue 30: Lauae (Abridged)

He aikane, he punana na ke onaona.

A friend, a nest of fragrance.

Sweet indeed is a good friend.

Organism of the Week: Lauae; Phymatosorus scolopendria
I know it's extremely late!  I'll try to double up a post this week and be more organized, but hey it's finals!
Anyways.  Lauae is one of the most identifiable plants in Hawaii!  This beautiful ground fern is used often in landscaping efforts all over Hawaii from schools to resorts!  It also has a sweet scent that our ancestors used to scent their kapa, and it was twisted into lei sometimes for the sweet scent. 
The plant grows best in moist rainforests, but can also be found along the beach.  And as decorative landscaping on most commercial building here in Hawaii. 
And now I have to go back to studying.  Please enjoy some art inspired by the beautiful plant below! 

By Sabrina Robello

Sourced: Here.



Someone carved an ipu into this pattern! 

Not me, not my quilt, but note the pretty lauae border!  What
beautiful work!

Issue 29: Uluhe

He kalo pa`a.

Unpounded taro.

A spinster or a bachelor.

Organism of the Week!  Uluhe, dicranopteris linearis
This is a plant near and dear to my heart if only because it reminds me of my home on the Big Island.  The plant is one of the widest distributed ferns of the "old world" tropics and similar regions.  Although beautiful, it spreads along the ground densely and climbs other vegetation - which often ends up blocking the sun from reaching any low-to-the-ground plants.  This fern grows densely and sprouts and climbs over the old growth over and over to make a deep layer of ferny brush.  When i first moved to the Big Island where uluhe reigns supreme, I would often play in the jungle that was my back yard, climbing ohia and hapu`u to jump into the dense uluhe.  I don't recommend this - the brush was not so deep where we were, but it can easily grow to be some 3 meters deep and often even deeper.  While we would only sink maybe thigh-deep in the stuff, an adult could easily tumble through closer to six to twelve feet of it bef
ore coming to a stop. 
The leafy ferns sprout branches at forty-five degree angles and sprout further branches, so and and so forth - these branches can reach well over 6 meters in length.  This fern grows well in poor-draining soil that lacks nutrients, but can also halt the growth of new trees because of how quickly and densely it grows.
In Hawaii, this fern is a "keystone species" in the ecosystem and dominates many areas of our rainforests.  It is found on all of the main Hawaiian islands.  The nature of uluhe is to grow well in nutrient-deficient environments.  But, when the leaves die, they create a thick layer of dead leaves which contribute nutrients to the new environment.  One helpful thing about uluhe is that by having such a dense thicket of uluhe, it makes it very difficult for other plants such as invasive species to grow, so the uluhe does serve a significant purpose to Hawaii's environment.  Other than that, it seems ancient Hawaii had little use for the plant - it was used only as a cure for constipation.  But in any case, it's a beautiful source of flora these days.

By Sabrina Robello

Sourced: Here and here.


Community Events!
Growing Conscious 1.0, Tues, Apr 30, 4:30-5:30, Manoa Campus - Behind the Art Building
This is a "therapeutic horticulture experience."  Translate: gardening during finals week.  Stop by and check out the free garden, help weed and meet other people.

Issue 28: `Io

E wehe i ka umauma i akea.

Open out the chest that it may be spacious.

Be generous and kind to all.

Organism of the Week!  `Io, Buteo Solitarius
This animal is one that is symbolic and significant to many locals.  On th rare occassion I've seen an `io swoop overhead, I've considered it an auspicious sign.  I know it was a creature related to royalty.  However, as to the more traditional information - I can't say much.  I have no research sources that add to that subject, unfortunately, so please add any information you can below! 
The `io is a hawk native to Hawaii.  It successfully nests in higher altitudes, often in ohi`a trees during the months of March to September.  The `io is a solitary creature for the most part, aggressively protecting their eggs during breeding season.  They are predator birds (unsurprisingly) and feed on rats, small birds, bugs and other small prey.  They used to prey on the Hawaiian crow, but that species is extinct in the wild these days.  Male `io are slightly smaller than females, each averaging in weight at about a pound.  From head to tail they are sixteen to

Photographer website

eighteen inches long - so a pretty small bird.  But still striking with its coloration and sharp eyes.  The feathers come in dark or light - the breast/stomach area is where you can see the difference. 


By Sabrina Robello

Sourced: Here and here.










Community Events!
Hawaii Food Drive! - Saturday, (Multiple locations/times)
It's that time again!  Clean out your pantry and donate it to a good cause, find your local food bank/drive here.
Spring Plant Sale - Saturday, 9 am - Lyon Arboretum
All sorts of plants will be sold this weekend - mostly pretty plants, but there will also be a few herbs and veggie plants!  Check it out!