[syn. Jacquemontia ovalifolia subsp. sandwicensis]Pohiiaka or Oval-leaf clustervineConvolvulaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian IslandsBarber's Point, OahuWhite-flowered formHawaiian NamesKkuaohiiaka. The word kkua means "to bind or fasten on, as a sarong or belt."Puohiiaka or P o Hiiaka is translated to mean "Hiiaka's skirt," the goddess sister of Pele.Dried leaves and stems were made into a tea or mixed with niu (coconut) and eaten by early Hawaiians.Medicinally, pohiiaka was used to treat babies with thrush (ea), as a laxative for lepo paa (constipation), and for babies with general weakness (paoao). It also was used to help babies and adults with eha makau (frightening pains or aches). The plant was mixed with kalo (taro) leaves and salt for cuts.EtymologyThe generic name Jacquemontia is named in behalf of Victor Jacquemont (1801-1832), a French geologist and botanical explorer.The specific epithet sandwicensis refers to the "Sandwich Islands," as the Hawaiian Islands were once called, and named by James Cook on one of his voyages in the 1770s. James Cook named the islands after John Montagu (The fourth Earl of Sandwich) for supporting Cook's voyages.
nativeplants.hawaii.edu/search/?query=jacquemontia
