Touchardia latifolia
Encyclopedia
Touchardia latifolia, commonly known as Olonā in Hawaiian
, is a species of flowering
shrub
in the nettle
family, Urticaceae
. T. latifolia is endemic to Hawaii
and inhabits mesic valleys and wet forests at elevations of 70–1200 m (229.7–3,937 ft). Typical to many Hawaiian plants, the olonā does not have any stinging needles likes its mainland cousins, but vary in pubescence. It is found on all the main Hawaiian islands except Kahoolawe and Niihau. Olonā has alternate leaves whose shape greatly varies depending upon the environment from thin lancolate to broad elliptic. The large range in leaf variation once divided T. latifolia into more than 10 species when in fact they are all one. Olonā typically flowers between the months of May through December The female flowers are borne on branching cymes which become fleshy orange berry like achenes, and the male flowers are white. Although pollination is successful and seeds are viable, rat predation is linked to many wild populations having no seedlings, and the populations that remain are old vegetatively reproduced individuals. Olonā is easily cultivated (83% germination rate), but does not transplant well due to its fragile roots.
Hawaiians
cultivated olonā for cordage, and it was considered one of the finest grades of fibers
. Its intertwining strands makes it one of the strongest natural fibers on earth. Olonā was used extensively in Hawaiian weaponry: as cordage on the wrist loop of pāhoa (dagger
s); for fastening shark teeth
on the heads of leiomano
; and as the cord in "tripping weapons", such as the pīkoi. Olonā was also used for fishing nets and carrying baskets called kōkō. The fine cordage was once sought by many people around the world, like climbers and sailors, because of its incomparable strength and durability. Olonā was typically cultivated near an upland stream area which was used to soak the newly harvested fibers between 24-72 hours before placing it on long board and using a scraper (sometimes made out of shell or turtle) to removed the excess outer bark. Once the olonā was prepared and dry, there was so much fiber in the bark that it peels off in sheets of ribbon. The outer bark of Olonā was typically stripped in the uplands and hung around necks as lei
.
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, is a species of flowering
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
in the nettle
Nettle
Nettles constitute between 24 and 39 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annual and a few are shrubby...
family, Urticaceae
Urticaceae
Urticaceae, or the nettle family, is a family of flowering plants. The family name comes from the genus Urtica . Urticaceae includes a number of well-known and useful plants, including the aforementioned nettles, Ramie , māmaki , and ajlai .The family includes approximately 2600 species, grouped...
. T. latifolia is endemic to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and inhabits mesic valleys and wet forests at elevations of 70–1200 m (229.7–3,937 ft). Typical to many Hawaiian plants, the olonā does not have any stinging needles likes its mainland cousins, but vary in pubescence. It is found on all the main Hawaiian islands except Kahoolawe and Niihau. Olonā has alternate leaves whose shape greatly varies depending upon the environment from thin lancolate to broad elliptic. The large range in leaf variation once divided T. latifolia into more than 10 species when in fact they are all one. Olonā typically flowers between the months of May through December The female flowers are borne on branching cymes which become fleshy orange berry like achenes, and the male flowers are white. Although pollination is successful and seeds are viable, rat predation is linked to many wild populations having no seedlings, and the populations that remain are old vegetatively reproduced individuals. Olonā is easily cultivated (83% germination rate), but does not transplant well due to its fragile roots.
Cultural use
AncientAncient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
cultivated olonā for cordage, and it was considered one of the finest grades of fibers
Fiber crop
Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are traditionally used to make paper, cloth, or rope. The fibers may be chemically modified, like in viscose or cellophane...
. Its intertwining strands makes it one of the strongest natural fibers on earth. Olonā was used extensively in Hawaiian weaponry: as cordage on the wrist loop of pāhoa (dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
s); for fastening shark teeth
Shark tooth
A shark tooth is one of the numerous teeth of a shark. Sharks continually shed their teeth, and some Carcharhiniformes shed approximately 35,000 teeth in a lifetime. In some geological formations, shark's teeth are a common fossil...
on the heads of leiomano
Leiomano
The leiomano is a shark-toothed club used by various Polynesian tribes, but mostly by the native Hawaiians.Leiomano is a word in the Hawaiian language and may have been derived from lei o manō, which means "a shark's lei."...
; and as the cord in "tripping weapons", such as the pīkoi. Olonā was also used for fishing nets and carrying baskets called kōkō. The fine cordage was once sought by many people around the world, like climbers and sailors, because of its incomparable strength and durability. Olonā was typically cultivated near an upland stream area which was used to soak the newly harvested fibers between 24-72 hours before placing it on long board and using a scraper (sometimes made out of shell or turtle) to removed the excess outer bark. Once the olonā was prepared and dry, there was so much fiber in the bark that it peels off in sheets of ribbon. The outer bark of Olonā was typically stripped in the uplands and hung around necks as lei
Lei (Hawaii)
Lei is a Hawaiian word for a garland or wreath. More loosely defined, a lei is any series of objects strung together with the intent to be worn. The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers draped around the neck presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of...
.