Naupaka kuahiwi
Scaevola gaudichaudii
Small shrubs 3-4 ft. tall with narrow leaves about 2-3 inches long and ½-1 inch wide. The margins of the leaves are slightly serrated as you approach the tip. The most appealing feature of this native plant are their fragrant yellow ‘half flowers. Compared to the other 8 native species of Naupaka, 6 of which are also mountain dwelling (the other two are the common coastal naupaka kahakai (Scaevola sericea) and the Endangered dwarf naupaka (Scaevola coriacea) which is also found near the ocean). This particular species has the most narrow and pointed petals of them all, its very striking. The color of the flower is fairly unusual as well being that it is only one of two yellow flowered species of naupaka, the other being ‘ohe naupaka (Scaevola glabra) which is much more rare and only found in the upper elevation wet forests of the Ko’olau Mts. on O’ahu and on Kaua’i, it too has yellow flowers but their shape is more tubular and similar to that of a native lobelia rather than a naupaka. Once the flowers are pollinated, small black fruit develop with a single seed within.
He lāʻau haʻahaʻa ia (ʻekolu a ʻehā kapuaʻi); ʻelua a ʻekolu ʻīniha ka lōʻihi o nā lau, 0.5–1 ʻīniha ke ākea o ka lau. He pua hapalua nō hoʻi ko ka naupaka kuahiwi, a ʻano onaona ia mau pua. ʻEwalu ʻano naupaka, a ʻeono o ka ʻewalu, he naupaka kuahiwi ia. ʻOiʻoi nā lau o kēia ʻano naupaka kuahiwi, a he pua melemele. ʻElua wale nō naupaka pua melemele, ʻo kēia ʻano naupaka a me ka ʻohe naupaka (ulu kēia ʻano naupaka i ka wao maʻukele o ke Koʻolau, Oʻahu a ma Kauaʻi) He hua ʻeleʻele liʻiliʻi ko kēia ʻano naupaka, a hoʻokahi ʻanoʻano i loko.
This endemic species is found on all the main islands except Ni’ihau and Kaho’olawe in the dry to mesic forests, quite unlike its other mountain naupaka relatives which reside mostly in higher, wetter areas.
Ulu kēia ʻano naupaka kuahiwi ma nā mokupuni nui a pau, koe ʻo Niʻihau me Kahoʻolawe. Ulu ma ka wao maloʻo.
The fragrant flowers of various naupaka kuahiwi are used in lei as seen in the book Na Lei Makamae by Marie McDonald and Paul Weissich (a definite must have for everyone especially hula dancers, native plant collectors, lei makers and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi culture enthusiasts).
Ma ka puke ʻo Nā Lei Makamae na Marie McDonald lāua ʻo Paul Weissich (he puke maikaʻi loa no nā kānaka hula, kānaka puni lāʻau, a kānaka hana lei), kui ʻia nā pua i lei.
This plant makes an excellent addition to any yard whether you’re a collector of native plants or not. They require very little water once established in the ground and love full sun. They also seem to be the hardiest compared to the other 6 species of naupaka kuahiwi by showing signs of being resistant to mites and other pests that would normally crinkle and deform the shape of other naupaka leaves. Many times people plant the coastal naupaka kahakai on the ma kai side of the house and naupaka kuahiwi on the ma uka side.
Nani loa ka naupaka kuahiwi ma ka pā hale. ʻAʻole nui ka wai e pono ai kēia naupaka kuahiwi a e kanu i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā. ʻO kēia ka ikaika o ka ikaika o nā ʻano naupaka kuahiwi. ʻAʻole pilikia nui i nā mū e like me nā ʻano naupaka ʻē aʻe. Hiki paha ke kanu i ka naupaka kahakai i kai o ka hale a naupaka kuahiwi i uka o ka hale.
All of the nine species of native naupaka are believed to have come from only three separate colonizations. All but one species is endemic, the common coastal naupaka (S. sericea) is indigenous, and represents one of the three colonizations, since it’s fruit float it probably reached here from other places in the Pacific on numerous occasions. The other colonization is believed to be for ‘ohe naupaka (S. glabra) mentioned above, and the third colonization represents the rest of the other native species in which one pioneer species radiated into many other species.
Manaʻo ʻia, ʻekolu naupaka kupuna ʻokoʻa i loaʻa ai nā ʻano naupaka o kēia wā. Hoʻokahi wale nō naupaka ʻāpaʻakuma o ka pae ʻāina. ʻO ke kupuna o ka naupaka kahakai kekahi o nā kūpuna ʻekolu, a pae ma kēia pae ʻāina i ka lana ʻana o ka hua i ke kai. ʻO kekahi kupuna naupaka, ʻo ia ka ʻohe naupaka. A na kekahi kupuna ʻē aʻe nā ʻano naupaka ʻē aʻe.