Abstract
Cultivated food plant stocks were brought to Hawaii by the immigrating Polynesians and composed most of their basic diet. Extensive use, however, was made of the highly endemic (95%' for flowering plants and 67% for ferns) flora. The Hawaiian was both a proficient agriculturist and naturalist. Nearly all of the vascular plant genera were given vernacular names, as well as many species and varieties.
Twenty-five genera and over 85 species of vascular plants were used as food sources. These included fern auricles,pith, young fronds, and rhizomes; flowering plant roots (both aerial and underground), tubers, stems, young plants, young shoots, leaves, male flower bracts, fruits, and seeds. Six genera and 55 species of vascular plants were prepared for beverage purposes. These plants are listed in a table, with the following information provided: family, scientific name, common names, species distribution (island, altitude, occurrence, and habit), and plant part utilized. Lists of vernacular names and plant part sources are also included.
Succeeding papers will cover other aspects (introduced food and beverage plants, and native and introduced plants used for ceremonies, cultural artifacts, decorations, dye, fiber, etc.).
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Chock, A.K. Hawaiian ethnobotanical studies I. native food and beverage plants. Econ Bot 22, 221–238 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02861956
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02861956