Cuscuta sandwichiana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Genus: Cuscuta
Species:
C. sandwichiana
Binomial name
Cuscuta sandwichiana
Synonyms

Grammica sandwichiana (Choisy) O.Deg., I.Deg., Hadac & Chrtek

Cuscuta sandwichiana (Kauna'oa kahakai) is a parasitic vine and the only member of the genus Cuscuta that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.[1] It parasitizes a wide variety of indigenous, endemic and introduced plants on all of the main Hawaiian islands. It grows in coastal areas with sandy soils from sea level elevation to 975 feet.[2][3] The indigenous kaunaʻoa pehu (literally "swollen kaunaʻoa") Cassytha filiformis is a similar-looking species with the same parasitic nature. It is an unrelated plant in the Laurel family Lauraceae which can be distinguished by it larger, coarser yellowish-green stems.[4]

Appearance

Cuscuta sandwichiana is a twining vine with thin, leafless yellow to yellow-orange stems and very small yellowish flowers which grow in small clusters along the stems.[5]

Hawaiian use

Lei (garland): Kaunaʻoa kahakai was used for both lei o ka poʻo (head lei) and lei āʻī (neck lei)[6][7]

Medicinal: Plants of both kaunaʻoa kahakai and kaunaʻoa pehu were pounded until soft, strained, and juice drunk to "thin blood" for women who had given birth or who had "thick blood".[8]

References

  1. ↑ Bohm, Bruce A. "Flowering Plants of Hawaii". Floridata Plant Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  2. ↑ Wagner, Warren L. (1990). Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i (Bishop Museum Special Publication 83 ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press / Bishop Museum Press. pp. 582–583.
  3. ↑ "Cuscuta sandwichiana". Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Cuscuta sandwichiana". Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  5. ↑ Bornhorst, Heidi L. (1996). Growing native Hawaiian plants: a how-to guide for the gardener. Honolulu: The Bess Press. pp. 49–50.
  6. ↑ McDonald, Marie A. (2003). Nā Lei Makamae--The Treasured Lei. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press. pp. 36–37.
  7. ↑ Neal, Marie C. (1965). In Gardens of Hawaii. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press. pp. 710–711.
  8. ↑ Kaʻaiakamanu, Kaluna M. (2003). Native Hawaiian Medicine--Volume III (translated and edited by Malcolm Nāea Chun ed.). Honolulu: First People's Productions. pp. 58–59.
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