Canoe plants

As a canoe plants are called plant that the ancient Polynesians from their original settlement area in outrigger canoes -taking and introduced on other Pacific Islands. The deliberate introduction of seeds or young plants into new habitats is called ethelochory .

The term canoe plant is used in connection with the Polynesian colonization of Hawaii 1,700 years ago.

The following plants are considered canoe plants in Hawaii:

Aleurites moluccana (kukui, light nut or candle nut)
Alocasia macrorrhiza (ʻape, giant leaved arrow leaf or giant taro)
Artocarpus altilis (ʻulu, breadfruit)
Bambusa vulgaris (ʻohe, common bamboo)
Broussonetia papyrifera (wauke, paper mulberry)
Calophyllum inophyllum (kamani, rosewood)
Cocos nucifera (niu, coconut)
Colocasia esculenta (kalo, taro)
Cordia subcordata (kou, cordie)
Cordyline fruticosa (kī, club lily)
Curcuma domestica (ʻOlena, turmeric)
Dioscorea alata (uhi, yams)

Hibiscus tiliaceus (hau, linden-leaved marshmallow)
Ipomoea batatas (ʻuala, sweet potato)
Lagenaria siceraria (ipu, bottle gourd)
Morinda citrifolia (noni, Indian mulberry)
Musa (maiʻa, banana)
Pandanus tectorius (hala, Pandanus)
Piper methysticum (ʻawa, kava)
Saccharum officinarum (kō, sugar cane)
Syzygium malaccense (ʻōhiʻa ʻai, water apple)
Tacca leontopetaloides (pia, East Indian arrowroot)
Thespesia populnea (milo, portia tree)
Touchardia latifolia (olonā, nettle)
Zingiber zerumbet (ʻawapuhi, clam ginger)

Seed and pollen samples from the Makauwahi Cave on Kaua'i show that pandanus and Kordien grew to Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians. In addition, fossil pollen from the coconut palm was found on Laysan , but this in no way excludes the fact that Polynesians brought additional seeds and young plants to the islands.

Individual evidence

↑ Jan TenBruggencate: Kauaʻi cave tells 10,000-year tale , in: Honolulu Advertiser of September 28, 2005, accessed on March 16, 2013 (English)
↑ Jan TenBruggencate: Coconut pollen found on Laysan , in: Honolulu Advertiser of May 23, 2005, accessed on March 16, 2013 (English)

Web links

[1] Jan TenBruggencate: Kauaʻi cave tells 10,000-year tale , in: Honolulu Advertiser of September 28, 2005, accessed on March 16, 2013 (English)

[2] Jan TenBruggencate: Coconut pollen found on Laysan , in: Honolulu Advertiser of May 23, 2005, accessed on March 16, 2013 (English)