HALĀLI‘I

Main Image

Main Image

'HALĀLI‘I' ('‘Ailolo,' 'Malolo,' 'Mapulehu,' 'Pakaiea,' 'Puahala,' 'Pūhala,' 'Ukuhala,' 'Wehehala')

Status: Held in Collections

Background Information: This cane has more associated names than any other variety, indicating its widespread cultivation and importance. Halāli‘i refers to a location on Ni‘ihau Island where this sugarcane was famous for growing. As a play on words, the name can suggest "little (li‘i) Pandanus tree (hala).” This pun refers to the cane growing in sandy areas of Ni‘ihau, where the blowing wind would bury the stalks and leave only the protruding tops visible, reminiscent of a baby hala tree. The sand dunes help retain moisture, allowing the cane to grow in the dry Ni‘ihau environment. This image is captured in the saying “Kō ‘eli lima a ‘o Halāli‘i – The hand dug cane of Halāli‘i" – hinting at digging in the soft sand to harvest the buried stalks. The names ‘Ailolo, Ukuhala, and Wehehala refer to the use of this cane in ceremonies of the same name. Fornander provides the name Malolo, literally meaning "to rest, pause, adjourn, or the low tide," stating the name originated from a religious observance of a woman placing her placenta under a hala tree. Pakaiea is synonymous with līpahapaha – common green seaweeds called sea lettuce (Ulva fasciata and Monostroma oxyspermum). These seaweeds have delicate blades that are translucent, much like the green stripes on the stalks that allow the underlying color to show through. 'Pakaiea' is also a kalo variety. Puahala refers to the brightly colored base of the hala fruits that are yellow or red color, while pūhala refers to the hala tree itself, typically the male tree. The male hala tree often grows a single erect trunk and blossoms with the hīnano flower, which is famed for its sweet scent and use as an aphrodisiac. These are poetic names relying on the pun between halā and hala.

Identifying Characteristics: The stalk often appears three-colored, with a yellow background that flushes easily to pink and striped with a translucent green. The leaves are consistently, but weakly, variegated with white. The sheaths are heavily variegated with white, heavily or moderately waxy, and show little pubescence concentrated in a narrow strip down the center. This cane is nearly identical to 'HC71' but is distinguishable because 'HC71' has no sheath pubescence and an auricle that occurs well below the dewlap. 'Halāli‘i' may be confused with 'Pua‘ole' and 'Kalaoa,' but can be distinguished by having slightly stronger leaf variegation and an auricle that occurs at or just below the dewlap.

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

yellow or light orange striped with green, flushes dominantly pink or dark pink with exposure, often all three colors are present giving a red, yellow, and green striped appearance to the whole; wax bloom very sparse.

Internode

Internode

barrel-shaped or obconoidal, slightly shouldered; bud furrow may be deep or shallow but always long; wax band moderately broad; growth ring colored like stalk but distinctly darker; root band thick, darker, striped like stalk with stripes occasionally truncating, 4–5 rows of eyes.

Bud

Bud

green and purple, narrowly ovate with a rounded bottom, extending above growth ring; moderately pubescent, mainly pubescent at the base, distinct tuft of long hairs extending from behind the tip; bud wings attached slightly below the middle of the bud, rounding off and narrowing near the tip.

Leaf

Leaf

erect, medium length, medium/broad width, module 18:1–22:1, consistently but sparsely variegated, typically crinkled surfaces, large serration; upper midrib often has yellowish hue; sheath light green, sometimes a yellowish green, always variegated with white, moderate to heavy wax, little to no hair, concentrated in a narrow strip down the center; dewlap yellow, dark yellow, or rarely greenish, heavily coated with wax, thick and curved, squarish-crescent or broad double crescent; outer auricle transitional with a tuft of moderately long brownish hairs; inner auricle often appears to be transitional, but is small calcarate when well developed, occurs just below insertion point

Flesh

Flesh

white or faint brown, occasionally slightly green, flesh next to the rind is patterned like the outside, soft, juicy, very sweet.

Tassel

Tassel

does not tassel freely.

Growth

Growth

semi-erect, top-heavy, densely packed leaves, good stooler, exceptional growth in many climates.

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Internode

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud Furrow

Bud Furrow

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Bud

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Growth

Growth

Growth

Growth

Growth

Growth

Growth

Growth

  • Information

Status: No Known Specimens

Background Information: ‘Ainakea literally means “white (kea) pith/bagasse (‘aina)” or “white land (‘?ina).” According to Fornander this name refers to a particular episode in Hawaiian mythology: K?‘ula and K?ne, two powerful akua, practiced their sorcery on the people of Honua‘ula, Maui, and left the bodies of the dead strewn about and exposed. The duo added further insult by snacking on sugarcane grown by the victims to quench their thirst; since this time the cane has been called ‘Ainakea in reference to the white bones left bleaching in the sun. However, many l?‘au lapa‘au sources indicate that the name refers to the flesh of the cane, which is said to be the whitest of all Hawaiian canes – a particularly rare trait for a dark-skinned variety. An alternative name, Laenihi, refers generally to high-headed labroid fish of the genera Hemipteronotus and Iniistius. Another name, P?kea, is a quantifying term applied to Laenihi that refers to a whitish coloration and was used to denote a specific species of fish. ‘Ainakea was one of the few canes used in medicinal concoctions by the kahuna h?h?, and was important in the treatments for p?‘ao‘ao, ‘ea, hilo, and waiki.

Historical Description: ‘Ainakea is said to be [DE1] one of the prettiest Hawaiian canes, similar in appearance to ‘?hi‘a when it is young but lightening in color as it grows. It was often said to be one of the best-producing native cane varieties and was popular cane home gardens, particularly in dry and lowland areas.

Stalk Color

 

The stalks are described by Moir as “maroon-red and striped with apple-green when young, and changing to purplish-red and yellow when mature”; by Fornander as “red with long white stripes”; and by Spencer as “a ribbon cane, green and purple.” Alternatively, Ka‘aiakamanu compares it to Manulele (a striped cane), and states that the stalks were “dark reddish as the p?polo liquid.”

 

Authored by: Noa Kekuewa Lincoln.  
Please properly cite any use of information or graphics from this page. 

Lincoln, N. (2017) Kō: An Ethnobotanical Guide to Hawaiian Sugarcane Varieties. 
Retrieved from: http://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/cane/Home.aspx