Embedded Files
ʻAlaʻala wai nui is kinda of an easy plant to id. But you can mistake it for an alien weeds. Looks like a baby leaf plant with a erect stalk coming out. The different species seem to take this form.
Background Information
ʻAlaʻala wai nui is too long of a name and hiker's just called it by its scientific name peperomia. It belongs to the pepper family. Ancient Hawaiians used the plant for medicine mixtures and a green dye. Look for a small plant like an herb about 1-2 feet in height, cute little leaves with a stalk coming out of it.
'Ala'ala wai nui
This species is called Peperomia tetraphylla. At the time of observation, we didn't see the stalk coming out, but we were able to identify it as peperomia. The plant doesn't appear to need much soil or water as we observed it growing out of a rock.
'Ala'ala wai nui
This species of peperomia is called Peperomia hesperomanni. It looks similar to the other plants. However, underneath the leaves of this plant is a reddish color which is quite interesting. This species was seen on Kauai on the Pihea trail/Alaka'i Swamp trail.
'Ala'ala wai nui
I'm not sure the name of this peperomia species. It does fit the characteristics of peperomia especially the stalk protruding from the middle of the plant. We observed this species on the Poamoho Summit (2018)
'Ala'ala wai nui
This species of 'Ala'ala wai nui is called peperomia macraeana. The leaves are rugose and a little bigger than your average peperomia leaf. Mount Ka'ala has a lot of this variety, it is literally all over the Ka'ala bog.
'Ala'ala wai nui
Another species of peperomia. This one has the baby leaves. But you can tell its peperomia because of the stalk coming out.
'Ala'ala wai nui
This peperomia has prominent veins going vertical on the top of the leaf.
'Ala'ala wai nui
Get ready to be confused. This plant is also called ala'ala wai nui, but is in the mint family and is not peperomia. The species is called plectranthus parviflorus and it is indigenous to the islands and quite common. The common name is spurflower and it occurs on all the main islands, even on Lanai. I would guess that it looked similar to peperomia and the Hawaiians name this plant ala'ala wai nui.
Source:
- Hawaiian Plant Life, 132-133
- Hall, p71-72
- Na Pua O Koke'e, 9
Google Sites
Report abuse