Botany nerds know that Latin names of plants sometimes change, as scientists delve into molecular biology, looking at genes and what-lā, and considering new relationships of biota. What many may not realize is that rare new species of flora and fauna are still being discovered in our fair isles. P. wichmaniorum (a species new to science published in January 2019) lives on Kauaʻi, as do its namesakes Chipper and Hauʻoli Wichman.
And nerds can read and decipher descriptions like this:
“Polygamodioecious shrub or small slender tree 2–6(–8) m tall; branches when fresh red to green, usually glabrous or glabrate, sometimes strigulose or villous-tomentose with light brown hairs 0.1–0.4 mm long. Leaves spirally arranged, shiny, dark green except veins and petioles usually pink, red, or reddish orange; blade chartaceous, ovate, elliptic, or oblong-elliptic, rarely obovate or broadly elliptic…”
Olomea (Perrottetia sandwicensis) on other islands have always struck my fancy, mostly because red veins make it easy to recognize. Too, a healthy population along a roadside in ʻŌlaʻa allow convenient visits. Red. Fire. Hot. A hard aulima olomea, rubbed on a soft ʻaunaki hau made fire by friction, and made lives comfortable.
Aulima: s. Au, a handle, and lima, the hand. The name of the stick held in the hand when rubbing to produce fire. The name of the stick rubbed is aunaki. NOTE: The action of rubbing is hia. [Andrews Dictionary, 1865]
Hiʻa: nvt. To make fire with the fire-plow; the act of making fire thus. (PPN sika.) [Pukui and Elbert Dictionary]
