Native Plants of Hawai‘i - Adenostemma viscosum

Adenostemma viscosum

Asteraceae or Sunflower family

Synonyms: Adenostemma aquaticum, Adenostemma dregei, Adenostemma erectum, Adenostemma fastigiatum. Adenostemma glutinosum, Adenostemma lavenia (Misapplied), Adenostemma lavenia var. viscosum, Adenostemma leiocarpum, Adenostemma natalense, Adenostemma ovatum, Adenostemma perrottetii, Adenostemma rivale, Adenostemma tinctorium, Adenostemma viscosum var. angustifolium, Ageratum aquaticum, Ageratum strictum, Ethulia aquatica, Lavenia alba, Lavenia aquatica, Lavenia carnosa, Lavenia divaricata, Lavenia erecta, Lavenia fastigiata, Lavenia glutinosa, Lavenia latifolia, Lavenia nudiflora, Lavenia viscida, Spilanthes tinctoria, Verbesina lavenia (Misapplied)

Kāmanamana

Dung weed, Sticky daisy

Natural Range & Environment

Adenostemma viscosum is an uncommon indigenous plant found in mesic valleys to wet forests, usually in shaded sites and along streams, sometimes in disturbed areas along trails and taro patches (māla kalo) from 60–550 m (197–1804 ft) on all main islands except Ni‘ihau and Kaho‘olawe [Wagner et al. 1990]. It is widespread throughout tropical Africa, India, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands [Wagner et al. 1990].

Kāmanamana habit and flowers in cultivation. The achenes (fruits) photo is courtesy of Andrew Evans CC BY-NC 4.0. Adenostemma viscosum is seen little in cultivation. It may be that kāmanamana has just been overlooked along hiking trails or in disturbed areas such as taro patches or māla kalo, where it sometimes grows.

Description

Adenostemma viscosum are perennial shrubs 5-10 dm (19-40 in.) tall. The stems are upright, often red-tinged, and covered in glandular, purplish hairs. The leaves are glabrous, opposite, simple, ovate to rhombic, 5–20 cm (ca. 2-8 in.) long and 1.5-8 cm (ca. .5-3 in.) wide, with coarsely serrated, gland-tipped margins. Kāmanamana has small white flower heads (capitula) measuring about 5 mm (ca. 0.19 in.) in diameter, often in lax terminal clusters (paniculate corymbs). The achenes (fruits) are brown, sticky, tuberculate, 2-3 mm long, with a persistent, warty pappus [Wagner et al. 1990,Lyon Arboretum]. The sticky plant, sometimes with extremely sticky fruits are in fact one of the defining characteristics of this native plant and specific epithet viscosum reflects this. See Etymology.

There is a similar looking plant in Hawai‘i that is a noxious and toxic weed called Billygoat weed (Ageratum conyzoides) or locally known as maile hohono, maile honohono, or maile kula. If you decide to use kāmanamana as a traditional herbal medicine, it is very important to clearly distinguish it from this common invasive species [Ageratum conyzoides], as it is toxic and can damage the liver. A United States Dept. of Agriculture Weed 2019 Risk Assessment paper states that "Ageratum conyzoides contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are toxic to humans and livestock" [USDA 2019].

Growth Requirements

General

Kāmanamana is an easy plant to grow and flower. It seems to thrive in shaded locations or with partial sunlight. My (Eickhoff) plants get the early morning sun and thrive. Provide sufficient water as this plant should always be moist to wet. While not often seen in cultivation, it may have its place in the landscape and can be used for those wet shaded spots that only ferns and mosses can tolerate.

I (Eickhoff) have not seen any major pests since I have been growing them, but I predict that slugs and snails may relish them. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for treatments.

Uses

Ancient Hawaiian

Hawaiians used an infusion of the leaves as a treatment for fevers [Wagner et al. 1990,Hawaiian Dictionaries].

Modern

Special Features and Information

General

Adenostemma belongs to Asteraceae or Sunflower family, which has over 32,000 species in over 1,900 genera worldwide [WikipediA;Asteraceae]. There are 23 species in the genus Adenostemma [Adenostemma], with only Adenostemma viscosum being indigenous to most of the main islands.

Hawaiian Name

In Hawaiian, Kāmanamana refers to the plant species Adenostemma viscosum. The name is from the Hawaiian word manamana, which has at least two meanings:

Physical Description. It translates to "branched" or "many-branched," referring to the plant's growth habit. It is also used to describe leaves that are divided or have finger-like projections.

Spiritual Significance. The word mana means "spiritual or divine power." In Hawaiian, repeating a word acts as an intensifier; therefore, manamana can signify exponential spiritual power or something that is exceptionally sacred.

The prefix Kā- (a variation of ka) functions as the definite article "the." When combined, the name Kāmanamana literally means "the many-branched one" or "the one of great power" [Hawaiian Dictionaries].

Etymology

The generic Greek name Adenostemma is derived from aden, gland, and stemma, crown, with the specific epithet viscosum, viscid, referring to the crown of sticky pappus awns (bristly seeds) that are a very effective mechanism for animal dispersal [Wagner et al. 1990,Gledhill 2008].

DWE