THE NATIVE NAMES OF HAWAIIAN 

 LOBELIOIDEAE. 



"We iiiul that the Ilawaiiaus of by-g'one days were quite familiar witli the 

 Flora of these islands and had adopted a system of naming- plants. They named 

 not only those that were of especial use to them, either medieinall.v or other- 

 wise, hut even plants occurring in very remote places in the islands, difficult of 

 access. 



The Hawaiians gave tlu'se plants names, corresponding to the generic names 

 in botany and designated the different species of a genus b.v a special name 

 which had either reference to the size of the leaf or the resemblance of a leaf, 

 or the plant itself, to another plant. Some of the names are of mythological 

 origin or are connected with Kahnuaism (native witchcraft). 



The most common Hawaiian names for Cyaneas and Clermontias are Haha 

 or Oha. To these they have added so-called specific names. The name Haha is 

 usually applied to all Lobelioideae with the exception of Lohelia proper and 

 Biigliaiiila. 



The name Olia seldom occurs alone but is used in conjunction with the word 

 ivai, like Oha-icai for species of Clermontias and Cyaneas but especially for the 

 former. 



Ualia — for species of CJcnimiifia and Cjianca in general. 



Haha-hia — for ('ndiiea Icptostegia. 



Haha-ai-a-ka-inanH — for Clcrmontia Gaudicliaudii ; the meaning of the word is 



"The II all a- eaten by the birds". 

 Ilaha-iiui — for Ci/anra fcrox — meaning of llalia-nai : "The large Haha." 

 Aku — for Gyaitca tritomaiitha. 

 Aku aku — for Cijaiica rollaiidioidcs. 



Kolii — for Trriiialoliihi iia niafrnslaclnjs var. Kauairusis. 

 Kuhiaika-moo-waJiic — Lohi Iia In/polcuca. 

 Liua — Lohelia hypoleuca. 

 Oltawai — f'Icrm nniia spp. 

 Paiiaunait — LobiJia ijuccoidcs. 

 Popolo — Cijaiua solaiiacca ; the name popolo is also applied to species of Solarium, 



the leaves of Ciianea solaiiacra resemble those of Solatium inconiplcfum. 

 I'liaala — Brifihamin iiisif/iiis on Molokai. 

 Alula — Br'ujhamki iiisignis on Kauai. 

 Puakala — Cyaiiea solcnocalijx. 

 Pu 'e — Lobelia Kauaensis. 

 Ku( -iiiii — Ciiniiia (rriiiirsiaiia. 



It may also be remarked that the milky juice of some of the species of 

 Clernwniia was employed by the natives as bird lime, while the leaves of C'yanea 

 anguxfifnlia, C'yanea tritomaniha and Cyaiiea rollandioides were cooked and 

 eaten like cabbage. 



The fruits of some of the Clermontia species, especially those of the Kauai 

 species Clemiontia Gaudicliaudii^ were eaten by the natives. 



