The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-05-02
TIE Many Varieties OF The
Tuber and How II Is
Raised.
Written for the GNzETEl

computed more particularly IOE IuS
information Of tourists and other
new corners to these islands, and
also for the benefit Of readers
abroad:
Accordinsto Fernandez, the Hawaii
ans ascribe the introduction OF taro 10
their renowned ancestor WaHea. Dr.
Hillebrand. a botanical authority, Is
OF the opinion that the CarO Is hardly
70 be reckoned aS indigenous, being
one Of - species Of plants introduced
here by the SawaiOri or POlynesian
race in the migration from southern
or western lands in pre-hlstOric times.
In other words. i was brought here
by the first Hawaiian settlers at the
same time as the sweet potato, ava,
rocoauut, banana. etc. The same au-
thoriry states that .'the species i Of
rEast1 Indian origin, but its cultIva-
ton has extended both eastward and
westward to Egypt, several Medlter-
raueau countries, Madeira, the Cana
-fes and the West Indies. Nowhere
else does the tUber grow 70 that per
lection which il attains ut the H2-
waiiau Islands"
The native name for the tuOer Is
EaL0, although foreigners still retain
.he ancient pronunciation OF tGf0.
Until within recent years, the bOtani-
cal term most commonly used by
writers when referring 10 the taro or
kaIo plant was UrJlHl EScUi eHtUHl.
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 COl0cHSia antique
rum rrur. escUIcHta) II. w. Schott.
Dr.. HiIlebrand, however, gives four
other names for the kalO, viz:
.4rttr1 c0IocdsiC, Iiunaeus.
Arum CscuLeHtum, Linnaeus x
Forster.
C0IocaSia cscuZeHta, Schott * End
licher.
CqYadiuFa sscuLcHtUm, Engler.
DR.. HiIlebrand had doubtless good
reasons for selecting the first name
given above in preference TO that OF
Truul escuIentUBl, still it Is an anus
ing example Of how authorities differ,
and more especially Of how bOtanists
have continued piling up their Latin
nomenclature on 3 single plant
1t is a pity. and to say the least, 1t Is
somewhat strange, that DR.. lille
brand has not devoted more space IN
his work on the Hawaiian Flora 10 3
description OF the kalO, seeing that the
tuber is the chief food of the Hawaii
an race. He gives one page only to
the Colocasia, and does not treat OF
the different varieties Of the kalo
growing on these islands, out
simply says that the Hawaiians
distinguish q considerable num-
Der Il varieties according to the
quaIity of the tuber and the color
Of the leaf stalk. 4 writer in Ihrum's
Almanac for lSS7, in an interesting
article on the kaIO, quotes the name OF
q number of different varieties OF the
EslO growing on these Islands. Ihls
writer fixes the number at - but It Is
poSsible that some less-knOwn varie-
ties may exist. Ellis in his Polyne-
sian Researches mentions that the
Tahitiaus have names for 80 different
varieties. Surely then in Hawaii mel,
where the cultivation Of the EaIo was
brought to a greater pitch Of excel
Ieuce than il was in the South seas
there must be Is many varieties OF the
uIant As IN TAHITI. The kalo has been
described a. q perennial herb Ia
feet high. with a tuber0us stock. Inc
leaves about one foot in length, and
usually Of the same bread heart shape
- the weIl-kuOwu white arum lily or
in botanical parlauce, they are crate,
coriate and peltate. Several spadices
or sufkes arise from one axil, the
snatbes being yellow. The tuber is
oblong in shape, 9 TO i inches IN
length. and ) to 8 inches in diameter.
The liberty is taken Of giving 3 list
0f the different varieties OF kalo as
published in Thrum's Almanac, a
few additional kinds, however, being
added thereto:
Ala.
Apii.
Apowale.
Apuwai two varieties, leaves Curled
up like a cup.
EIepaio, spotted leaves
HaOkea.
Hapuupuu two varietiesl.
Heualehu, or Ualehu.
IpuolOno.
Kai. Koi, Kaikoi -four varieties,
haniO.
hu-mu.
kuoho.
Lauloa.
Lehua.
Iehuaakiukawao.
Lola.
Mahaha.
Makaopio.
Makohi.
Makoko.
Namauea, or Aweoweo two varie-
ties, wild.
Mana four varietiesl.
Msnini.
Naua.
Nawao-unfit for food.
Noho.
Paakai-very white, hence salt"
Palakea.
Piialfi.
Pike.
Poni-hAs purple stalk.
Uwahiapele.
Wac.
Wehiwa.
In the article in Thrumis Almanac
il Is stated that "apuwai In It's whlte
variety Is the general favorite oil Iate
wears. A red variety has been met
with in Nuuanu valley, said 70 nave