POKAPUA

All Main Image Stalk Color Internode Leaf Bud Flesh Tassel Growth
Main Image

Main Image

'POKAPUA' ('Pokopua,' 'Pakapua')

Status: Held in Collections

Background information: This name literally means "dwarf." Some sources equate this name to '‘Ili‘ōpua', which is often said to be very similar to 'Kea,' but always dwarfed by it. However, both 'Pokapua' and '‘Ili‘ōpua' were held in the HSPA collection for many years, collected under different names and noted to be different canes. Furthermore, historical descriptions of '‘Ili‘ōpua' report that it is a relatively smooth cane without many hairs, while 'Pokapua' is by far the hairiest of all the canes held in collections today.

Identifying Characteristics: Stalks are greenish yellow with a moderate waxy bloom. Buds are small and ovate. Leaves drooped with long, sparse pubescent along upper surface, lower midrib, edges, and base. Sheath extremely pubescent along center and sides. Maybe be confused with 'Pake,' 'Lahi,' '‘Ualalehu,' or 'Waimea,' but distinguishable by the extreme pubescence of the sheath and leaves.

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

yellow, yellow-green, or green, occasionally overcast with gray; wax bloom light to moderate

Internode

Internode

slightly barreled or shouldered; bud furrow moderate to strongly marked, shallow but long; wax band very wide, prominent, slightly depressed; growth ring yellow or light green, lighter than stalk; root band lightly coated with wax, light green or green, 3–5 rows of eyes

Bud

Bud

ovate, green to purple, extend to the growth ring; moderately to heavily pubescent, prominent long hair group behind the tip; bud wings green to purple, narrowly broad, inserted at or just below the center of the bud

Leaf

Leaf

drooped from near middle, medium/long length, broad width, module 19:1–23:1, crinkled, large veins, very pubescent having long hairs along the upper surface, lower midrib, edges, and base; upper midrib yellow near the base; lower midrib is green and occasionally has a thin stripe of white or yellow down the center; sheath light green, often splotched with yellow near the top, heavily coated in wax, extremely hairy down center and sides; dewlap yellow green or green, variably shaped, always broad and ascending, typically double crescent or flaring ligulate; outer auricle transitional with a long, dense hair group; inner auricle is calcarate, with growth occurring at the dewlap

Flesh

Flesh

white, yellowish, or greenish white, very brittle, hard, rather juicy, sweet, sulfuric and acrid flavors; rind hard, tends to snap easily and cleanly

Tassel

Tassel

dense, short, broad, silver or slightly rosy, held moderately aloft

Growth

Growth

semi-erect to recumbent, thick stalks, closely packed

Internode

Internode

Internode

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Internode

Internode

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Growth

Growth

Growth

Growth

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Bud

Bud

Leaf

Leaf

Tassel

Tassel

Tassel

Tassel

Internode

Internode

Tassel

Tassel

Tassel

Tassel

Tassel

Tassel

Leaf

Leaf

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Bud

Bud

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Bud

Bud

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Leaf

Leaf

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Flesh

Leaf

Leaf

Bud

Bud

Internode

Internode

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Bud

Bud

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

Leaf

  • 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