Pritchardia napaliensis

Loulu or Nāpali loulu

Arecaceae

Endemic to the Hawaiian islands (Kauaʻi)

Endangered

Oʻahu (Cultivated)

 

Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 napaliensis is named after the Nā Pali Coast, Kauaʻi.

 

NPH00010

nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pritchardia_napaliensis

 

 

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