Pleomele (genus)

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Dracaena fernaldii, syn. Pleomele fernaldii Starr 070405-6805 Pleomele fernaldii.jpg
Dracaena fernaldii , syn. Pleomele fernaldii

Pleomele is a former genus of flowering plants. All its species are now placed in the genus Dracaena . [1] [2] [3] The Hawaiian name for plants in this genus is hala pepe, which translates to crushed or dwarfed Pandanus tectorius . [4]

Contents

Former species

Uses

Medicinal

Native Hawaiians combined the bark and leaves of hala pepe with the root bark of ʻuhaloa ( Waltheria indica ) and popolo ( Solanum americanum ), and a section of kō kea ( Saccharum officinarum ) to treat high fever and chills. Hala pepe bark, roots, and leaves were combined with ʻōhiʻa ʻai ( Syzygium malaccense ) bark, ʻuhaloa and popolo taproot bark, ʻalaʻala wai nui pehu ( Peperomia spp.) stems, noni ( Morinda citrifolia ) fruit, kō kea, niu (coconuts, Cocos nucifera), and pia ( Tacca leontopetaloides ) to treat lung disorders. [5]

Non-medicinal

The soft wood of the trunk was carved by Native Hawaiians into kiʻi . Hala pepe represented the goddess Kapo on the kuahu (altar) within a hālau hula (building which hula was taught or performed). It along with ʻieʻie ( Freycinetia arborea ), maile (Alyxia oliviformis), ʻōhiʻa lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha ) and palapalai ( Microlepia strigosa ) were the five essential plants at the hula altar. [4]

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Dracaena fernaldii, synonym Pleomele fernaldii, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the island of Lānaʻi in Hawaiʻi. It is known by the common name Lanai hala pepe. It can be found in dry forests at elevations of 490–670 metres (1,610–2,200 ft). It is threatened by habitat loss. 400–1000 of these plants remain in the wild, but little recruitment has been observed in the past 10 years. The reasons for the lack of recruitment are unclear.

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Dracaena forbesii, synonym Pleomele forbesii, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. It inhabits dry, coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of 240–730 metres (790–2,400 ft). It is threatened by habitat loss.

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Dracaena halapepe, synonym Pleomele halapepe, the royal hala pepe, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. It inhabits dry, coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of 180–610 metres (590–2,000 ft). It is threatened by habitat loss.

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Dracaena aurea, the golden hala pepe, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaii. It inhabits coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of 120–1,070 m (390–3,510 ft). It is a small evergreen tree, usually 4.6–7.6 m (15–25 ft) tall, but sometimes reaches 12 m (39 ft). The gray, straight trunk does not have bark and is 0.3–0.9 m (0.98–2.95 ft) in diameter. The sword-shaped leaves are 20–51 cm (7.9–20.1 in) long and 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) wide.

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References

  1. "Pleomele Salisb". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  2. "Pleomele Salisb". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  3. "Pleomele Salisb". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  4. 1 2 Medeiros, A. C.; C.F. Davenport; C.G. Chimera (1998). "Auwahi: Ethnobotany of a Hawaiian Dryland Forest" (PDF). Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. p. 19.
  5. 1 2 3 "hala pepe, ieie, kuhaʻo, ku la". Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database. Bernice P. Bishop Museum . Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  6. "Pleomele Salisb. hala pepe". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2009-11-20.