The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1893-04-25
~ .ganv Varieties of the
Tuber and How 1t Is
Raised.
Written for the AUysgFIsER



taro or kalo and It's uses have been
compiled more particularly for the
information of tourists and other
new comers TO these islands, and
also for the benefit of readers
abroad:
According to Fornander, the Hawaii
ans ascribe the introduction of taro to
their renowned ancestor Wakea. DR..
Hillebrand, botanical authority, is
OF the opinion that the taro is hardly
to be reckoned as indigenous, being
one Of "A species of plants introduced
here by the Sawaiori or Polynesian
race in the migration from southern
or western lands in prehistoric times.
In other words, il was brought here
by the first Hawaiian settlers st the
same time as the sweet potato, ava,
cOcoanut, banana, etc. The same au-
thority states that "the species is of
EAST Indian origin, but its cultiva-
ton has extended both eastward and
westward TO Egypt. several Mediter-
rsnean countries, Madeira, the Cana
ries and the West Indies. Nowhere
else does the tuber grow TO that per-
fection which it attains at the Ha
waiian Islands"
The native name for the tuber is
kalo, although foreigners still retain
the ancient RECOMMENDATION of t0r0.
Until within recent years, the botani-
cal term most commonly used by
writers when referring TO the taro or
kalo plant was drlsRl escutentuBl.
This was the name used by Foster,
botanist with Captain Cooks second
voyage of discovery, but in Hille-
brands Flora of the Hawaiian ISL
ands it IS styled ColocGsid antique
rum (var. escuIeRtdl III. w. Schott.
DR.. Hillebrand, however, gives four
other names for the kalo, viz:
ArIsD1 c0EocGsid, Lfnnaeus.
Arune eseutentun1, Linnaeus L
Forster.
CoIocdsia escuLeRta, Schott & End
lieher.
CdLddiuH9 esculeRtltHa, Engler.
Dr. HiIlebrand had doubtless good
reasons for selecting the first name
given above in preference to that of
drasns esctLentuns, still it is an anus
ing example of how authorities differ,
and more especially OF how botanists
have continued piling up their Latin
1t is q pity, and to say the least, it is
somewhat strange, that DR.. Hille-
brand has not devoted more space in
his work on the Hawaiian Flora to a
description of the kalo, seeing that the
tuber is the chief food of the Hawaii
an race. He gives one page only to
the Coloeasia, and does not treat of
the different varieties of the kalo
growing on these islands, but
simply says that the Hawaiians
distinguish considerable num-
Der of varieties according to the
quality of the tuber and the co.or
of the leaf stalk. A writer in Thrum's
Almanac for 1887, in an interesting
article on the kalO, quotes the name of
a number of different varieties of the
kaIo growing on these islands This
writer fixes the number at 2S, but it is
possible that some less-known varie-
ties may exist. Ellis in his Polyne-
sian Researches mentions that the
Tahitians have names for 33 different
varieties. Surely then in Hawaii nei,
where the cultivation of the kalo was
brought to q greater pitch or excel
lenee than it was in the South Seas
there must be as many varieties of the
plant as in TAHITI. The kalo has been
described "a perennial herb, LII
feet high, with tuberous stock. The
leaves about one foot in length, and
usually of the same bread heart shape
as the well-known white arum lily, or
in botanical parlance, they are crate,
cordate and peItate. Several spadiees
or spikes arise from one aXil, the
spathes being yellow. The tuber is
oblong in shape, to Il inches in
length, and TO inches in diameter.
The liberty is taken of giving list
of the different varieties of kal0 as
published in Thrum's Almanac, q
few additional kinds, however, being
added thereto:
Ala.
Apii.
Apowale.
Apuwai (two varietiesl, leaves curled
up like a cup.
Elepaio, spotted leaves.
Haokea.
Hapuupuu two varieties}.
Heualehu, or Ualehu.
IpuOlOno.
Kai, Koi, Kaikoi Gfour varieties.
kanio.
hu-mu.
kuohG.
Lauloa.
Lehua.
Lehuaakiukawao.
Lola.
Mahaha.
Makaopio.
Makohi.
Makoko.
Mamauea, or Ayeoweo two varie-
tiesl, wild.
Mana four varietiesJ.
Manini
Naua.
Nawao-unfit for food.
Noho.
Paakai-very white, hence "salt."
Palakea.
Piialii.
Pike.
Poni-has purple stalk.
Uwahiapele.
Wac.
Wehiwa.
In the article IN Thrum's Almanac
1T Is stated that "apuwai in its white
variety is the general favorite of late
years. a red variety has been met
with in Nuuanu valley, said to have
been introduced from Tahiti. The
different varieties of kai are said to be
remarkably fragrant when cooked,
anu Is scarce; grown principally at
EVA. Mana is a great favorite with
some people, especially its yellow and
red varieties, and is said to be dis
lnguishable in its having double
stalk to each root Ipuolono is an ex-
ceiient variety and, as its name indi-
Gates, belonged to the priesthood.
Lauioa is used by the kahunas as hav-
ing medical properties, both in root
ana leaf. It's name, meaning long
leaf, has heen Transferred hu them 70