Photograph by C. Imada. Species pictured U. glabra

opuhe, hopue (A. glabra), hona (U. glabra)

Vernacular Name:

Family:
Urticaeae

Species:
Urera (U. glabra, U. kaalae)

Authority: U. glabra (Hook. & Arnott) Wedd., U. kaalae Wawra

Status: endemic

Specific Gravity:

Medicinal Uses: For the treatment of lepo pa‘a (constipation), the flowers, leaf bud, and tap root of hapue (Urera glabra) and maaloa (Neraudia spp.) are mixed with ‘akoko leaves and leaf buds (Chamaesyce spp.), and ko kea (white sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum).These are pounded into a liquid and then strained with ‘ahu‘awa (Cyperus javanicus), and mixed with pia (Tacca leontopetaloides) and stirred. The liquid medicine is drunk and followed by broiled lu‘au and ‘uala (sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas) (Chun 1994:80).

Non-Medicinal Uses: Fibers of the inner bark used for cordage to make fishnets and occasionally for tapa cloth (Funk 1979; Malo 1951:22; Rock 1913:121; Summers 1990:66).

Dye Color and Parts:

Description: Shrubs or small trees 2-8m tall

Habitat: U. glabra found in mesic to wet forest and diverse mesic forest on slopes and bottoms of gulches 150–1700m (Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Maui, Lana‘i, Hawai‘i), U. kaalaeis rare in mesic forests in gulches and slope 300–760m (O‘ahu) (Wagner et al. 1990:1312–1314).

Famous Locations:

Mele:

Olelo Noeau, Pukui:

Kino Lau:

Moolelo / Stories:

On Bishop Museum Campus:

Planting Information:

Seed Photo: Photo Available
Seed length approximately 0.8 mm. Photograph by B. Kennedy. Species pictured U. glabra.