Clermontia hawaiiensis

Description:

h kpau, h, wai, hhCampanulaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Puna and Ku districts, Hawaii Island)Oahu (cultivated)A single large young plant.www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/16042488191/in/photostream/Growing with native Hawaiian ferns, hala pepe (Chrysodracon forbesii), and mmaki (Pipturus albidus) in a "Hawaiian Fern Garden." Most of the plants in this garden are from Oahu. Clermontia hawaiiensis are the exceptions.Early Hawaiians used h wai (Clermontia spp.), in general, as a minor food source. The leaves were boiled before eating. The berries of many h were eaten fresh and are said to have a sweet taste.Additionally, the sticky latex mix was used in plali, or bird lime, to snare small forest birds for feathers for cloaks, capes, helmets, lei, and khili. In fact, the Hawaiian name h kpau or "gum ha," unique to only this species (C. hawaiiensis), refers to the viscous latex of the plant. The flowers of h were used to lure the victims in kia manu (bird-catching by gumming). How sadly ironic that the very plants that the honeycreepers seek as a food source would also be used to lure them to be ensnared.