Pritchardia hardyi
Genus
Pritchardia
Species
hardyi
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- Hāwane
- Loulu
- Noulu
- Wāhane
Hawaiian Names
- Hawane
- Loulu
- Noulu
- Wahane
Common Names
- Hardy's Loulu
- Makaleha Pritchardia
Synonyms
- Pritchardia weissichiana
Plant Form / Growth Habit
No data available.
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
No data available.
Life Span
No data available.
Landscape Uses
No data available.
Plant Produces Flowers
No data available.
Plant texture
No data available.
Water Requirements
No data available.
Light Conditions
No data available.
Natural Range
- Kauaʻi
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- 1000 to 1999, Greater than 100 (Wet)
- 2000 to 2999, Greater than 100 (Wet)
Habitat
- Terrestrial
Additional Habitat Information
Hardy's loulu is found from wet to very wet forests below and east of Waiʻaleʻale to just south of Līhuʻe side in eastern Kauaʻi in the Līhuʻe-Kōloa, and probably Keālia, Forest Reserves from 1600 to 2300 feet in elevation. [4]
Special Features and Information
General Information
There are 27 species of Pritchardia in the Palm family (Aracaceae) of which 24 are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. [1,4]
Etymology
The generic name is named for William Thomas Pritchard (1829-1907), 19th century British counsul in Fiji, adventurer, and author of Polynesian Reminiscences in 1866.
The specific epithet hardyi is named for W. H. Hardy. [4]
Hawaiian Names:
Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun.
The names Hāwane and Wāhane refers the fruit or nut of the loulu, but can also refer to the palm itself. The name is also used for a small red limu or seaweed (Polysiphonia spp.). [2]
Loulu is the Hawaiian name for all species of Pritchardia in the Hawaiian Archipelago. The name has at times been misspelled as Loʻulu. However, Loʻulu, with ʻokina, is the name of the endemic Hawaiian fern Coniogramme pilosa. Loulu is also used for a species of filefish (Alutera monoceros), perhaps so called because its greenish-white skin resembled the loulu palm. It was used in sorcery to cause death because the name contains the word lou, to hook. [2]
Noulu is a variation of Loulu. [2]
Background Information
Fossil evidence show that loulu (Pritchardia spp.) were once widely spread throughout the islands, especially in the lowlands.
Early Hawaiian Use
Loulu (Pritchardia spp.): The hard wood of the trunk of taller species of loulu were fashioned into spears by early Hawaiians.
The fruits called hāwane or wāhane were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today. [3]
The fronds, or leaves, called lau hāwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans.
Additional References
[1] "A Review of the Genus Pritchardia" by Donald R. Hodel, page S-3, S-8, S-9, S-18.
[2] Hawaiian Dictionaries http://www.wehewehe.org/ [Accessed 12/30/09]
[3] "Loulu--The Hawaiian Pritchardia" by Donald R. Hodel, The Palm Journal #193, page 12.
[4] "Loulu: The Hawaiian Palm" by Donald R. Hodel, pages 1, 86, 90, 91.
PHOTOS FOR THIS SPECIES CAN BE SEEN AT THE LINK (Copy & Paste to your browser):
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=50823119%40N08&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=Pritchardia%20hardyi
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This record is as complete as we can generate for this plant profile at this point. Please email nativeplantshawaii@gmail.com if you wish to contribute to the data. Please include sources and references for all data submitted