Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka

Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka

For some reason I was able to remember the name of this plant through Hawaiian Mythology. Pāʻū o Hiʻiaka means 'skirt of Hiʻiaka'. Hiʻiaka is sister of Pele. This ground cover plant is known to be a blanket for baby Hiʻiaka. The leaves fold like Pohuehue, however the blue translucent flowers is a give away.

Background Information

This indigenous species occurs near the shoreline on beaches of Oahu. It usually occurs only in areas where there are native plants, but I think it can handle disturbed areas as well. In ancient times, Hawaiians used the plant as a laxative.