Haplostachys haplostachya
Lamiaceae or Mint family
Synonyms: Haplostachys grayana, Haplostachys grayana var. angustifolia, Haplostachys grayana var. leptostachya, Haplostachys haplostachya var. angustifolia, Haplostachys haplostachya var. leptostachya, Phyllostegia haplostachya, Phyllostegia haplostachya var. leptostachya, Phyllostegia leptostachys
Honohono
Natural Range & Environment
Honohono [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands]. [Wagner et al. 1990].
Honohono is to easy to grow and flower. Pictured under cultivation are the habit, foliage, flowers and seeds. Honohono in the wild at Pōhakuloa, Hawaiʻi Island. Photos courtesy of CH Lamoureux, JK Obata and PTA Natural Resources Office (NRO) staff. Three of the four extinct Haplostachys spp. as herbarium speciemens: H. bryanii, H. linearifolia, and H. munroi. (H. truncata not pictured) I used the pen for scale (5.25 inches; 13.3 cm). Will we see them again? Only the future will tell us for sure!
Description
Honohono
Growth Requirements
General
Honohono [Hawaii Horticulture]
Pests and Diseases
Honohono is occasionally attacked by mealybugs (sometimes going after its roots), scale insects, and spider mites. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for methods to control/eliminate these pests. If watered too frequently, the plant's base or roots can become infected and rot.
Uses
Ancient Hawaiian
Modern
Special Features and Information
General
The Mint family (Lamiaceae) is a large family with approximately 7,000 species within about 236 genera with a cosmopolitan distribution. Many of the species, such as basil (Ocimum basilicum), lavender (Lavandula spp.), oregano (Origanum vulgare), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris), are well known because of their aromatic properties and culinary uses [WikipediA;Lamiaceae].
In addition to Coleus australis, other native Hawaiian members of Lamiaceae include: four extinct and one endangered species of Haplostachys; the indigenous pakala (Lepechinia hastata); over 30 endemic extinct and extant species of Phyllostegia; over 20 endemic extinct and extant species of Stenogyne; and the indigenous pōhinahina (Vitex rotundifolia) [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands]. Hawai‘i's native Lamiaceae are often referred to as "mintless mints" because they lack the typical minty smell or taste of Lamiaceae elsewhere. Still, there are a few native Hawaiian mints that have a sweet fragrance, just not the minty scent of their non-Hawaiian relatives.
Hawaiian Name
Etymology
DWE